


Goodnight Moon

by kieran98, KusanoSaku



Series: Beside you [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bullying, Dumbledore Bashing, Eventual mpreg, Evil Dumbledore, Evil Ron Weasley, F/F, F/M, Female Homosexuality, Ginny Bashing, Homophobia, Implied Relationships, M/M, Male Homosexuality, Male Slash, Manipulative Dumbledore, Molly Weasley Bashing, References to internalized Homophobia, Ron Bashing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-20
Updated: 2016-05-23
Packaged: 2017-12-30 00:23:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 14
Words: 28,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1011815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kieran98/pseuds/kieran98, https://archiveofourown.org/users/KusanoSaku/pseuds/KusanoSaku
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The young Malfoy heir has been attracted to The Boy Who Lived since he can last remember when he finally gets the chance to become friends with his celebrity crush, it’s ruined and the boy is left heartbroken. As the years go on, Draco tries desperately to hate the boy who he’s loved since he was eleven.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is honestly only my second story, and I’m scared no one will like it… 
> 
> Reviews are much appreciated and I hope you enjoy reading it, as much as I enjoy writing it… All rights go to the wonderful J.K. Rowling. Thank you! Creature!fic of my own creation Akan. Betaed by kusanosakura.
> 
> Also our Lyra and Canon Narcissa are technically the same person; we just chose a more Black name to fit her because Narcissa is neither a star nor a constellation. Like Andromeda, Lyra is a constellation while Sirius, Bellatrix and Regulus are stars...

June 25, 1987

 

“What novel would you like for me to read you tonight, Dragon?” Lyra, Draco’s mother, asked him.

The seven-year-old smiled up at his mother, climbing out of bed and walking over to his little bookshelf, pulling out a biography on the Boy Who Lived. Bringing it back to his mother, he smiled again, holding it out to her.

“Can you read about Harry Potter again, mother?” Draco asked, climbing onto the bed next to his mother.

“Of course, son, come on, let me tuck you in.” She said, and Draco climbed under the covers, his mother tucked the blankets around him.

Draco's sister, six-year-old Ayla stumbled in, yawning.

“Mummy can I listen? I’m tired of waiting.” Ayla whined.

Indulgently, Draco patted the spot next to him.

His sister smiled sleepily at him and climbed in, snuggling into his side. “What are we reading mummy?”

“We’re reading about Harry Potter, dear.”

“Again? Draco has an obsession with him!” Ayla whined, glaring at the book.

“Do not! Mum, tell her to stop!” Draco cried, his cheeks tinged pink.

“There is nothing wrong with admiring someone, Ayla, such as your liking for Celestina Warbeck.” Lyra said, smirking as she watched her daughter’s face heat up.

“It isn’t my fault she is a wonderful singer, mother.” Ayla said, flipping her hair off her shoulder, leaning into Draco.

“Okay, enough teasing… Can we please read about Harry now?” Draco asked, eager to hear about his favorite celebrity again.

His mother cleared her throat, flipping to Draco’s favorite chapter.

“The Boy Who Lived defied the greatest dark wizard of the century, he was left to bear a scar of that Hollow’s Eve when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named came to Godric’s Hollow. The scar was that of a lightning bolt, and the small boy was taken from the ruins, at just one year old, and hasn’t been heard from since…” His mother had continued reading his favorite chapter, but Draco was already asleep, his dreams filled of The Golden Boy, and his hopes to meet and befriend him someday.

 


	2. Chapter 1

August 1, 1991 (7:30am)

Draco ran into the family’s library, straight toward his father, who was lounging in his chair, reading a book on Blood Purity.

“Father! Term starts soon! Do you think Harry Potter will come to Hogwarts this year?” Draco asked, hope evident in his voice.

“Draconis, you watch yourself this year, no doubt Potter will associate himself with people the likes of the Weasleys. You keep well away from them. If you have to, steer him away from their kind, but don’t mix with them. They are Bloodtraitors and their father is always trying to make trouble at the Ministry for me.” Lucius said, grimacing at the name Weasley.

“I know father…” Draco muttered, frowning.

“Good, now go play with Ayla.” Lucius said, shooing his son.

Draco bit his lip to keep from retorting and stalked out of the library, almost falling to the ground when he ran into his mother.

“Are you alright, Dragon?”

“No.” Draco growled.

His mother offered him her hands and he took them, pulling himself up with them.

“What happened?” She asked, brushing his clothes off.

“Father wants me to stay away from Harry this year… He’s my idol; father can’t expect me to stay away from the boy I’ve dreamt about meeting since my thoughts were conscious. It isn’t fair. I bet if Ayla wanted to be friends with Harry Potter, father would be all for it, telling her to date him even! Why does father hate me, mother?”

“Your father does not hate you, Draconis Lucius Abraxas Malfoy.” Lyra chided.

“Yes he does. Ayla will always be his favorite. His princess and all I am to him is his heir and a burden. Don’t tell me it isn’t true, mother, you know it is.” Draco said, jealously creeping into his voice.

“What did he say to you, Dragon?” Lyra frowned.

“ 'Draconis, you watch yourself this year, no doubt Potter will associate himself with people the likes of the Weasleys. You keep well away from them. If you have to, steer him away from their kind, but don’t mix with them. They are Bloodtraitors and their father is always trying to make trouble for me at the Ministry.’” Draco says mockingly. His mother takes his hand and pulls him through the house, towards the dining hall.

“You, my perfect son, can be friends with whoever you like.” Lyra says, kissing the top of her platinum blonde son’s head.

“Thank you mum, but I’d best follow father’s orders…”

“Let us go to Diagon and get your robes fitted, yes?” His mother asks, smoothing out his hair.

“Yes mother… Do you think you could pick up my stuff for me while I get my robes fitted?”

“Yes of course, and then we’ll go to the Apothecary and pick up everything your Uncle Severus has listed for your Potions course.”

 

 

 

XoooooX

  
August 1, 1991 (11:30am)

Lyra had apparated Draco and Alya to Diagon Alley around 10:30, after having fed them a big breakfast cooked by the house elves.

Draco had visited Gringotts before, and just like every time he stepped into the building, he found his eyes wandering to the words engraved upon the doors.

 

  
_Enter, stranger, but take heed_  
_Of what awaits the sin of greed,_  
_For those who take, but do not earn,_  
_Must pay most dearly in their turn._  
_So if you seek beneath our floors_  
_A treasure that was never yours,_  
_Thief, you have been warned, beware_  
_Of finding more than treasure there._

Reading that had always sent shivers down his spine and made his nose crinkle.

His mother took out enough money to buy his school supplies from his trust vault and a little extra for ice cream afterwards from her own.

Draco smiled at the thought of sweets and steps out of Gringotts.

“Draco, you go straight to Madam Malkin’s, do you understand? Take this and pay for your robes.” Lyra said, kissing the top of his head and placing a handful of Galleons in his hand.

Draco smiled at his mother, thanking her before running off to the robe shop.

He entered and the tinkling of a tiny bell rung through the shop.

“One moment!” The squat woman known as Madam Malkin called from the back of the store, and Draco stood patiently waiting for her to retrieve him.

She waddled out of her back room and smiled at him.

“Hogwarts, young Master Malfoy?” She asked.

Draco nodded, smirking slightly.

She gestured to a footstool to for him to stand on and he climbed up.

The door chimed again and Madam Malkin excused herself, telling a witch who just appeared from the back room to measure him for her.

“Hogwarts, dear?” The woman asked in her sickly sweet voice, “Got the lot here – another young man being fixed up just now, in fact.”

Draco tensed as Madam Malkin came back to the room, she was followed by a small boy with dark shaggy hair, emerald green eyes and round eyeglasses in baggy old Muggle clothes. Sort of like a prince in disguise.

“Hello,” Draco said after the small wizard had robes slipped over his head, “Hogwarts, too?”

“Yeah…”

“My mother and little sister just went to buy my books,” he said to the boy, smiling slightly. “I hope Mother will take me to see the racing brooms after going to the Apothecary. I don’t see why first years can’t have their own, brooms I mean. I’d really like to play for the house team.”

The boy scrunched up his nose.

Draco smiled at him again. “Have you got your own broom?” Draco asked, and the boy shook his head.

Draco shrugged.

The witch fitting the robes glared but Draco ignored her.

“Do you happen to know what house you’ll be in?” He asked, trying again to talk to the other boy.

“No…” The boy’s face went pink.

Maybe he knew he’d be a Hufflepuff and was embarrassed? Draco would be…

“Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I’ll be in Slytherin, all of our family has been – imagine being a Hufflepuff, I’m sure I’d be disowned…” Draco shivered at the thought of his father's displeasure.

The Boy raised an eyebrow at the word ‘disowned’ but hummed in agreement.

Draco caught sight of something blocking the window and he whistled quietly.

“What? Oh that’s Hagrid, he works at Hogwarts.” The boy says, waving to the beastly man.

“Oh, I’ve heard of him. Father has mentioned he was at Hogwarts when he was there, I think. He’s a sort of servant, isn’t he?”

“He’s the gamekeeper,” the boy said, his ears turning pink.

“Yes, father said he’s a bit of a savage.”

“I think he’s brilliant.” The boy said defiantly.

“You do? Why is he with you, where are your parents?” Draco asked, raising an eyebrow.

“They’re dead.” the boy said quietly.

“Oh, I’m sorry. They were our kind, weren’t they?” Draco frowned.

“They were a witch and wizard, if that’s what you mean.” the other boy scowled.

“Father says they shouldn’t let the other sort in, not positive if I agree. He says they’re not the same, because they weren’t raised in our world. Some have never even heard of Hogwarts before they got their letter, though I can’t imagine it. He says they should keep in the old Wizarding families, what’s your surname, anyway?”

“You’re done, my dear.” Madam Malkin said and the boy hopped down from the stool.

Draco glared at her but then turned to the boy.

“Well, I suppose I’ll see you at Hogwarts.” He said. 

Unfortunately, the boy went to pay for his robes and left without waving goodbye.

Draco bit his lip, his first chance at making a friend outside of his childhood companions and he ruined it…


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 

 

Draco walked out of the robe shop after paying and ordering them sent to the Manor.

 

His mood had gotten increasingly worse since the boy had left without saying goodbye, and Draco stalked into Flourish and Blotts, where he saw his mother and sister paying for his books.

 

He walked over sulkily.

 

Ayla’s smile fades when she turns to him. “What’s wrong Draco?”

 

“It’s nothing Ayla. I’m just upset. I’ll get over it.” Draco mumbled.

 

Lyra, his mother turned to look at him frowning. “Come Dragon; let’s go get your wand.” 

 

They made their way down to south Diagon Alley to get his wand from Ollivanders.

 

Malfoys only shopped at Ollivanders…

 

Ollivanders was _the_ place to get wands; they didn’t sully themselves with lower status places like Jimmy Kindles or even (shiver) a secondhand wand shop…

 

Even the thought for finally having a wand of his own didn’t make his mood any brighter…

 

They were greeted at the door by a weird old man who rubbed his hands together.

 

“Young Master Malfoy? I’ve been expecting you. I was hopeful that your parents would choose my shop even if my cousin paired them to their wands. Lord Malfoy’s wand is a 12 ¾” Ivy and Centaur Hair is it not my Lady?” the man bowed.

 

“Centaur hair is associated with aloofness, intelligence and wisdom. It has a more negative association of a tendency to watch rather than take action. Not a fast caster but a powerful one. Ivy is a strong all-around wandwood that is associated with ambition and personal drive. Making it especially well suited to Slytherin users. Ivy holds the meanings of attachment and eternal friendship, fidelity, and wedded love. It is said of Ivy, ‘I die where I cling.’ Together it would be a strong and loyal wand. Your father is likely highly intelligent, ambitious, driven and aloof. His strongest loyalty is to his bondmate. Lord Malfoy is chiefly an observer but can be vicious when roused.” Ollivander mused. “Any witch or wizard who captures the heart of such a one would be lucky indeed. ”

 

Lyra nodded, blushing slightly. “My own is a lovely 14” Birch and Galena stone.”

 

“Yes, Birch has an unfounded reputation for weakness in my opinion; in actuality I have found it to be a strong Light magic wandwood. It would be very strong for driving out spirits and protective spells probably would be capable of a strong Patronus charm, it is strong for Healing and other branches of White magic. In my experience it associated with inner strength, support, realism and determination. As for your wandcore, it does well with grounded, courageous individuals. Both show promise for Healing magic.” Ollivander tapped his chin with a long finger, “You Lady Malfoy, likely keep your own counsel. Once a decision is made, to you it is final. Since that wand is a healer’s wand, likely it would belong to a nurturer. It is possible that the wielder is prone to overindulgence and over-protectiveness. Rarely a challenger or fighter but when roused fleeing would be the proper response.”

 

His mother’s face moulded itself into a mask that Draco only noticed with persons she didn’t like.

 

“Mr. Ollivander, as enlightening as this is: we are here for Draco not to listen to meandering about my bonded or my wands.” Lyra sniffed.

 

“Yes of course, I beg pardon. I find Wandlore to be a fascinating topic and sometimes I tend to forget myself. My children often lecture me and I have bored my grandchildren on an occasion.” The old man proceeded to grab wands and shove them into Draco’s hands.

 

The longer the process too the more pinched the old man’s wrinkled face became…

 

It seemed to take forever; finally the man began to wring his hands. “It seems as fine a wand as I make they don’t seem to take to your son.”

 

“Very well,” his mother said rising from the chair she’d perched on, “We’ll take our luck with the man who made my wand in Paris.”

 

“Wait just a moment, Lady Malfoy.” Ollivander raised his wand and the shop around them changed.

 

Draco felt the touch of strange magic.

 

“Lyra!” a younger man but still _old_ approached her.

 

“Master Louis.” His mother curtseyed.

 

“Is this your son? Well aren’t you the strapping young man, you look just like your father.”

 

Draco scowled, why did everyone think that was a compliment?

 

“Even down to the scowl. Your son is in need of a wand Lyra dear?”

 

“Yes Master Louis, I was coming to see you when your cousin decided to transport us to your shop.” Lyra blushed.

 

“Well I do enjoy fitting wands to generations of witches and wizards. I fitted you and your elder sister but your Aunt took Bellatrix to Garrett. I paired your cousins, such a pity. The elder ended up with a Leprechaun Hair wand, perhaps, I ought to have guessed he’d come to a bad end. Well, enough reminiscing tell me about your son.”

 

Draco groaned inwardly, his mother’s favorite past time was bragging about her children.

 

“My Dragon is a fine boy, the smartest among his playmates. He loves potions and it is only fitting with the youngest Potions Master, First Class as his godfather.”

 

“Young Severus Snape? A 15” inflexible Acacia and Abraxan Feather, my cousin,” Louis said snidely, “may brag about his Yew and Phoenix but young Severus had the finest wand I have ever made. I have been pleased to see how far he has come.”

 

“Severus was a yearmate of mine and a protégé of my Lucius. He agreed to tutor our son and we have been quite pleased with the results. It was a pity young Theo was unable to join him. We’ve quite lost touch with the Notts since the passing to the Veil of Lady Evelyn.” Lyra said sadly, “Draco does best in Charms and he has already begun lessons in Occlumency.”

 

“Charms, Potions and Mental Magics? Do you enjoy Runes young man?”

 

Draco nodded, “It is one of the few topics my father has insisted on teaching me besides the duties as an heir to the bloodline.”

 

“What is your opinion of Quidditch young Master Malfoy?”

 

 “I love it! I wish they’d let First Years fly, I hope mother remembers to take me to Quality Quidditch to look at the new racing brooms. Father wouldn’t let me have a Nimbus 2000 for my birthday because I wouldn’t get a chance to use it because of the rules.” Draco said petulantly.

 

His mother tutted at him.

 

“What position would you like to fly?” Louis asked curious.

 

“Seeker, I would love to be up that high and be looking for the Snitch with only myself, the wind and an opponent.” Draco gushed.

 

“Favorite Quidditch team?”

 

Draco grinned, “Appleby Arrows.”

 

“Preferred House.”

 

“Slytherin of course just like mother.”

 

 “Would you say your son is prone to stubbornness? What of his interest in dueling?”

 

“Draco can be stubborn.” Ayla piped up.

 

Draco scowled at her. “I’d like to be in the dueling club, I know father was…”

 

“That settles it. I believe that an Abraxan feather and Rowan would suit you quite well young man. An Abraxan core wand might take sometime to master but your natural stubbornness would be quite fortunate in that case for it will result in very rewarding results. I believe you will find it well balanced between speed of casting and power. Like you it will have strong ties to the air element, given the history of the Veela blood in that Malfoy line that would be very likely indeed.” Louis said as he moved to retrieve a single box from his shelves.

 

“As for Rowan, it is associated with protection, especially against enchantments and beguiling. Rowan is strong for Charms, Divination and Transfiguration. Its users usually have a natural affinity for Ancient Runes, and it usually proves to be a strong all-around, excellent dueling wand. I have found users of a Rowan wand are often highly intelligent, visionaries or highly intuitive. I believe that Filius Flitwick possesses one so you would be in excellent company. Together this wand will be well balanced magically. It will prove to be excellent for duelling and highly reliable. Users with natural Occlumency shields are skilled at resisting memory spells and in some cases, even the Imperious. This Rowan like so many of mine came from The Rowans, the home of the Woods. I have found that their Rowans are the most powerful.” Louis opened the case.

 

The wand flung itself at Draco at once.

 

Draco put up his hand and snatched it out of the air.

 

At once it let off green and silver sparks.

 

“A Slytherin to be sure or I’ll eat my favorite hat.” Louis crowed. “A perfect match, as your mother can tell you my wands are the best. They never weaken as one grows older and they won’t break or shatter for I never use a flawed piece of wood no matter how it calls to me. I pride myself on perfect matches, if it’s not it my shop I’ll make it. Lady Fleur of the Delacours required a special order wand and she has written me letters of praise for how well it has done.”

 

“I can feel it singing with my magic,” Draco said with wonder.

 

Lyra paid for the wand, “We’ll see you next year then. Ayla will need a wand then for herself. Thank you for your excellent service Louis.”

 

“Let me return you to the Diagon Alley shop, Lady Lyra.” Louis waved his wand in an intricate pattern.

 

Lyra curtseyed again before they left.

 

Once they returned to the Diagon Alley shop Draco followed his mother without a backwards glance at the first Ollivander.

 

They picked up his Potions ingredients, an eagle owl Draco named Parvo after the Peacock constellation and various other things listed on his shopping list from Hogwarts.

 

After which they ate at a nice restaurant that promised to send the bill to his father before they headed to Fortescue’s for ice cream like his mother promised.

 

Their last stop was Quality Quidditch, Ayla fumed because his mother refused to agree to visit the music store instead.

 

                                                            XoooooX

August 14, 1991 (9:30am)

 

“Draco, Blaise is coming over for tea in a bit, see to it that you are dressed and have at least eaten a bite of something before he arrives. Pip pip.” Lyra quips, knocking on Draco’s white door frame.

 

Draco’s pale grey eyes blink open, sunlight blinding him.

 

Groaning, he rolls back over and shuts his eyes.

 

“Little Master need be waking up now, Dobby been told to help Little Master get ready for tea with Master Blaisie.” A small House Elf says, tugging on Draco’s blankets.

 

“Not now Dobby, I’m still tired.” Draco moans, rolling away from the elf.

 

“Master Blaisie be here in an hour, Little Master. Dobby get specific orders from Mistress Lyra to get you ready.”

 

“Dobby, give me ten more minutes, please?”

 

“Five.”

 

“Dobby!” Draco whines and rolls onto the floor dramatically sprawling himself across the hard wood.

 

“Sorry Little Master, Mistress says.”

 

Draco groans and stands up, glaring at the House Elf on his bed.

 

“I am up. Are you happy now?” Draco asks, stalking towards his closet.

 

“Yes Little Master. Mistress has clothes picked.”

 

“I’ll wear what I want, Dobby.”

 

“I go tell Mistress, be right back.”

 

The Elf is gone with a pop and Draco pulls open his doors, pulling out a pair of dress pants, a tux shirt, and an emerald cloak.

 

The dark green cloak is slipped over his shoulders, and he glances down at it. An image of the boy with green eyes from the shop in Diagon appears in his mind.

 

Draco is shaken out of his stupor by a load pop, signaling the return of his Elf.

 

“Mistress not be happy with Little Master, but she say it Little Master’s choice.”

 

“That’s how it should be. How does this look?”

 

Draco turns to look at his elf, his cloak billowing like his Uncle Sev’s.

 

“Little Master be looking a handsome as always.” Dobby says, reaching up to smooth Draco’s hair back.

 

“You can leave the gel out today, it’s only Blaise. God knows he’s seen me at my worst.”

 

“Little Master only be eleven. Little Master hasn’t gotten to worst part of life yet.” The House Elf mutters, ceasing his smoothing of Draco’s hair.

 

“I don’t want to wear this.” Draco decides suddenly, pulling off the cloak and tuxedo shirt, switching it for a light blue button-up and a dark blue vest with a black tie.

 

“Better?”

 

“Draco, dearest best friend, you always look splendid.” Blaise says from the doorway, leaning nonchalantly on the door frame.

 

Draco rolls his eyes and grins, walking towards Blaise and embracing him.

 

“How have things been?” He asks quietly, the feeling of his best friend here comforting him.

 

“Things are as the usually are, I had to have Tinky take me to Paris to get my stuff for school; robes, books, ect.”

 

Draco growls but doesn’t pull away, biting his lip to prevent an insult tumbling out.

 

“Go ahead…” Blaise sighs, pulling away to look at Draco in the eyes.

 

“After everything, she still can’t bother to even take you to get your things for school? What is this, husband five? Can’t she pay any attention to you?”

 

Blaise rests his hand on Draco’s arm, his tanned fingers splaying across the light blue fabric.

 

Draco’s silver eyes meet Blaise’s dark ones and Blaise grins at him.

 

“Blue is a really beautiful color on you Dray, it brings out your eyes.”


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

 

September 1, 1991 (8:00 am)

 

Draco’s eyes fly open, adrenaline coursing through his veins.

 

 

He has three hours to make sure everything is perfect before leaving for the train.

 

He jumped out of bed and pulled out an outfit similar to the one he wore when Blaise visited only this one has a deep purple button up with a dark grey vest and matching tie.

 

“Dobby?”

 

The elf popped into his room with a loud crack and Draco looked down at him.

 

“Are mother and father awake yet?”

 

“Yes, Little Master. They be waiting in dining room for you.”

 

“Can you tell them I’ll be down in a few minutes?”

 

“Yes Little Master.”

 

Draco rushed into his bathroom, excitement evident on his pale face.

 

He quickly brushed his teeth and washed his face before running down the stairs with a spring in his step.

 

He passed portraits of his family members, who offer their congratulations.

 

He thanked them and rushed off to breakfast, sliding on his socks into the dining room.

 

He straightened up automatically, meeting his father’s gaze.

 

“Good morning father, good morning mother. Hello Ayla.”

 

“Hi Draco!”

 

“Good morning, Draco. Come sit.” His father said prudishly.

 

Draco licked his lips uncertainly and sat on his father’s right side, across from his mother and diagonal to Ayla.

 

Food appeared on his plate as he lowered himself into the chair.

 

Pancakes with honey maple syrup and blueberries were sitting on his plate and he almost began to eat.

 

He stopped himself and folded his hands in his lap.

 

His father cleared his throat and glared at him before speaking, “Thank thee for the night, for the moon and stars, and for the pleasant morning light. Thank thee the food we are to receive. Help us to do the things we should and to live by the motto Sanctimonia Vincet Semper. Amen.”

 

Draco, Ayla and his mother all muttered a quiet ‘amen’ before picking up their utensils and eating their food.

 

Personally, Draco didn’t believe in a higher power. No God just this hell of an Earth, Muggles and magical beings, animals, creatures, things.

 

Draco only partook in the breakfast prayer to please his father, if he had a choice, they would dig right in every morning. That thought only managed to make him angry.

 

He finished his breakfast and stood, suddenly irritated.

 

“Draco, is everything alright?” His mother asked, standing to meet him.

 

“Yes, I’m fine Mother. Excuse me.” He hurried out of the breakfast room and up into his bedroom, slamming his door shut behind him.

 

He sits down at the desk beside his bed and pulls out parchment and a quill.

 

_‘Cher Blaise,_

_Je sais que je pourrais vous parler de cela sur le train, mais le Père serais probablement que je socialiser avec nos camarades de l'année ..._

_Je suis si fatigué Blaise, je suis si fatigué d'être son petit serviteur ... Tout ce que je suis pour lui, c'est h héritier, ce n'est pas comme s'il se soucie vraiment de moi. Ayla est sa petite princesse. Je ne suis rien pour lui._

_Je déteste soulever cette question, mais je sais comment vous vous sentez. S'il vous plaît ne soyez pas en colère contre moi pour dire que. J'ai découvert que je ne crois pas en une puissance supérieure, contrairement aux croyances de mes parents. Je sais que je devrais, parce que c'est ce qu'ils veulent, mais je suis tellement malade d'être leur enfant parfait, laissez ce soit Ayla. Je ne veux pas croire ce qu'ils font. Je ne veux pas me sentir comme je suis contrôlé._

_Je m'excuse pour mettre tout cela sur vous, je vous prie de m'excuser pour se plaindre. J'avais besoin de vider mon sac et tu es le seul que j'ai assez confiance à raconter._

_Amicalement,_

_Draco L.A. Malfoy’_

 

_[‘Dear Blaise,_

_I know I could just talk to you about this on the train, but Father would probably like me to socialize with our year mates…_

_I’m so tired Blaise, I’m so tired of being his little minion… All I am to him is an heir; it isn’t as though he actually cares about me. Ayla is his little princess. I’m nothing to him._

_I hate to bring this up, but I know how you feel. Please don’t be angry with me for saying that. I’ve discovered I don’t believe in a higher power, contrary to my parents’ beliefs. I know I should, because that’s what they want, but I’m so sick of being their perfect child, let that be Ayla. I don’t want to believe what they do. I don’t want to feel like I’m being controlled._

_I apologize for putting this all on you, I apologize for complaining. I needed to get this off my chest and you’re the only one I trust enough to tell._

_Yours,_

_Draco L. A. Malfoy’]_

 

“Dobby?”

 

The small elf popped up beside Draco.

 

“Take this to Blaise. No interceptions, only Blaise can read it.”

 

Dobby immediately took the letter from Draco’s hands. “Be safe Little Master.”

 

Draco nodded, “Wait for his reply, please.”

 

“Yes Little Master.”

 

Draco stood and crawled back into bed, closing his eyes and pretending he knew the boy from the robe shop.

 

                                                            XoooooX

 

Draco woke to the sound of apparating.

 

“Master Blaisie’s letter.” Dobby said.

 

Immediately Draco sat up, “What time is it?” He asked as he took the letter from Dobby’s fingers.

 

“It be 9:30, Little Master.”

 

“Thank you Dobby.” Draco said absently as he opened the letter.

 

A slight bow and Dobby disappeared with a crack.

 

_‘Chère Draco,_

_Je ne suis pas, en aucune façon, offensée par ce que vous dites. Et je sais aussi que votre père ne se soucient de vous. Sachant que vous êtes la seule façon que je fais, je sais que vous moqué à l’. Croyez-moi quand je vous dis que je serai toujours là pour vous, vous pouvez me dire quoi que ce soit._

_Il peut vous sembler qu'il ne se soucie pas, ou que vous êtes seulement son héritier, mais ce n'est pas vrai. Vous avez une famille aimante Draco, et vous êtes très chanceux d'avoir encore que. Tu sais que je n'ai que ma mère, et vous savez que, au fond, quelque part, elle prend soin de moi. Je suis pupille de vos parents, ils prennent soin de moi quand j'en ai besoin. Si ce n'était pas pour ta mère, je n'ai personne à qui se tourner. Votre père peut sembler qu'il ne vous aime pas, mais je peux vous garantir que ce n'est pas vrai._

_Vous pouvez croire que je dis simplement parce que je suis un préjudice, mais je ne suis pas. Je me soucie vraiment de vous Dray, et si vous voulez vous asseoir seuls ensemble dans le train, je serai plus qu'heureux d’obliger. Nous parlerons plus lorsque nous nous rencontrerons à Kings Cross._

_Avec amour,_

_Blaise Zabini’_

 

_[Dearest Draco,_

_I am not, in any way, offended by what you said. And I also know that your father does care about you. Knowing you the way only I do, I know you scoffed at that. Believe me when I tell you that I will always be here for you, you can tell me anything._

_It may seem to you that he doesn’t care, or that you are only his heir, but it isn’t true. You have a loving family Draco, and you are very lucky to have even that. You know I only have my mother, and you know that deep down somewhere she cares for me. I am your parents’ ward; they take care of me when I need it. If it weren’t for your mother, I’d have no one to look up to. Your father may seem like he doesn’t love you, but I guarantee that isn’t true._

_You may believe I’m just saying this because I’m prejudice, but I’m not. I truly care about you Dray, and if you want to sit alone together on the train, I’ll be more than happy to oblige. We’ll talk more when we meet at King’s Cross._

_With Love,_

_Blaise Zabini’]_

 

Draco looked down at it, his throat closing up.

 

“Dobby, wake me up before we leave. Get my trunk ready.”

 

Draco climbed back under the covers, clutching Blaise’s letter to his chest.

 

                                                            XoooooX

September 1, 1991 (10:30 am)

 

Draco opens his eyes, his little sister shaking his shoulder.

 

“Come on, we don’t want to be late.” She said, her small hands gently brushing his hair from his eyes.

 

Draco sat up and hugged her before getting out of bed and straightening his clothes.

 

“Dobby go to King’s Cross, find Blaise and I a compartment. Put my trunk away and put up wards. Only Blaise and I can sit there, Crabbe and Goyle maybe, if they’re there.”

 

Ayla climbed off his bed and took his hand. “Are you okay Draco?”

 

Draco smiled down at her, fingering the light blonde curl next to her right shoulder. “I’m great Ayla. I’m finally going to Hogwarts.”

 

“What house do you think you’ll be in?”

 

“Our entire family has been part of Slytherin. I have a feeling that is where I’ll end up, but I want Ravenclaw if anything.”

 

She smiled up at him. “I’m going to miss you.”

 

He hugged her and she pressed her cheek into his collarbone.

 

“I’ll miss you too, kiddo. Don’t get into too much trouble without me.”

 

She laughed musically, and grabbed his hand. “Come on, mummy is waiting. Is Blaisie going to be there?”

 

“Yes, Blaise will be at the station.”

 

“I like him. You should bond to him.”

 

Draco laughed and led the smaller girl from his room.

 

“I’m not going to marry Blaise.”

 

“Why not? He’s really nice.”

 

“Ayla.” Draco scolded, smiling slightly.

 

“Sorry Draco.” She led him towards the front of the house.

 

“Mother is waiting in the drawing room. We’re going to floo.”

 

They opened the mahogany doors and entered the room, which had green and blue décor peppering the place.

 

Draco’s mother smiled at him, “Are you ready Dragon?”

 

“Yes Mother.” Draco said excitedly, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

 

She turned and throwing floo powder into the flames, turning them emerald green. “You first, Dragon.”

 

Draco stepped forward and took a pinch of the gritty powder. Stepping into the flames, Draco looked back at Ayla and winked. “Platform 9 ¾, Kings Cross Station, London.”

 

Draco feels a tug by his tailbone and he shut his eyes, the spinning and tumbling too much for his stomach.

 

When the tugging was gone, he took a step forward with his eyes still closed.

 

He felt arms wrap around him and the smell of hot cocoa filled his nose. “Hello Blaise.”

 

“I’m sorry Draco, I really am.”

 

Draco led his friend away from the line of hearths so the boy who just appeared in it could step through.

 

Blaise hugged him again, his dark eyes filled with an almost black purple in the light.

 

Draco pulled him into another hug, his suppressed Veela suddenly protective of Blaise.

“It’s alright Blaise; I’ll be away from his reign at school.”

 

“Blaisie!” A ten-year-old Ayla shouted and wrapped her arms around Blaise’s torso.

 

“Hey there, Ayla. How are you?” Blaise smiled at her.

 

“I’m excited for Draco and you. You’ve been waiting for so long.”

 

Blaise grinned at her.

 

“Where is mother?” Draco asked.

 

“She came through right behind me. She should be here.”

 

Draco looked behind her and sees the blonde woman that was his mother stepping through the floo.

 

“Over here mother!” Ayla called.

 

Immediately Lyra turned and headed towards them. “Good morning Blaise.” She said, smiling down at the young half-Italian boy.

 

“Good morning Miss Lyra.”

 

“Is father coming?”

 

“Your father said something came up in the Ministry and he couldn’t make it.”

 

Draco sent an aside glance at Blaise.

 

Blaise scowled at him.

 

“Draco, listen, you behave, you make friends, and you know that I will never be disappointed in you. You are my son and I love you.”

 

Draco bit his lip as she turned to Blaise.

 

“Same goes for you, Blaise. I could never be disappointed in you and you are the son of my heart. I love you both. Now go on, the train won’t dally for just two students.”

 

They both hug Lyra and Ayla before running off towards the scarlet train.

 

“Dobby saved a compartment; we just need to find it.”

 

Blaise hopped up onto the train, scanning it with his eyes.

 

“There,” Draco pointed, noticing his trunk on the rails above the seats.

 

Blaise and Draco slid open the compartment door and found Greg Goyle and Vince Crabbe sitting across from each other.

 

“Hi Draco, hello Blaise.” Both said without looking up from their game of Exploding Snap.

 

Draco waved and Blaise smiled as they take the seats across from each other.

 

Blaise automatically placed his feet on Draco’s lap, watching the game progress lazily.

 

Draco saw his mother and sister waving from the crowd surrounding the train and he waved back.

 

Turning back to Blaise, he opened his mouth to say something but their compartment door opened first.

 

A girl with big bushy hair stood in the doorway.

 

“Have you seen a toad? Neville here has lost his.”

 

Neville Longbottom peaked his head around the doorway, biting his lip.

 

“No, I’m sorry, we haven’t. I’ll keep my eyes open though. I hope you find it.” Blaise said politely, sitting up.

 

“Have you heard? Harry Potter is in the very last compartment on the train. I’ve read all about him.” The bushy haired girl said, matter-of-factly.

 

Draco sat up with interest. “He’s really here?”

 

“Yes, he’s sitting with a boy.” The girl shrugged.

 

“We’ll keep an eye out for your toad.” Draco said, closing the compartment door on the girl. He turned to look at Blaise.

 

“No Draco.” Blaise said, almost reading his mind.

 

“Please Blaise?” Draco pouted.

 

“Don’t bother the poor kid. He has probably gotten more attention than he’s used to.” Blaise said sagely.

 

Draco stood up and tugged on the bigger boys’ robes. “Will you go with me?”

 

“Sure Draco.” Vince said standing and following Draco out of the compartment.

 

“Draco, leave the kid alone.” Blaise said in a warning tone.

 

Draco looked at him apologetically. “He’s my idol Blaise; I can’t fight the urge to speak to him.”

 

Blaise shook his head.

 

Draco glanced out the window.

 

The train was moving and looked like it had been for a long time.

 

Blaise sighed standing and followed Draco down the train. “I really hate you right now.”

 

“No you don’t. You could never hate me.”

 

They stopped outside the last compartment, where Draco took a deep breath to calm the excitement bubbling inside him.

 

Inside was the dark haired boy from the robe shop sits across from a boy with fiery red hair, listening to him talk about Quidditch.

 

Draco opened the compartment door and both look to him.

 

Draco watched as the boy sat up and stared at him.

 

“Is it true? They’re saying all down the train that Harry Potter’s in this compartment. That’s you, isn’t it?” Draco could feel Blaise’s hand on his back, silently begging him to shut up.

 

“Yes,” Harry said, looking over Draco’s shoulders and Crabbe and Goyle, who were standing on either side of Draco.

 

“Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle.” Blaise peaked over Draco’s shoulder briefly before shrinking again.

 

“My name is Malfoy, Draco Malfoy.” Draco drawled.

 

The boy across from Harry coughed, hiding a snigger.

 

Anger boils in Draco’s stomach.

 

“Do you think my name is funny? I have no need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more kids than they can afford.”

 

Then he turned back to Harry.

 

“You’ll find that some Wizarding families are better than others, Potter. You don’t want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there.” Blaise’s hand punched him in the back and he winced slightly as Draco held out his hand for Harry to take.

 

“I think I can tell who the wrong sorts are for myself, thanks.” Harry looked Draco dead in the eyes and refused his hand.

 

Draco felt his eyes prickle and his cheeks tinge with color, anger at the world appearing as he ran off at the mouth.

 

“I’d be careful if I were you, Potter,” he said slowly, digging deep at hurling up the cruelest words he could to cut as deep as Harry’s refusal had. “Unless you’re a bit politer, you’ll go the same way as your parents. They didn’t know what was good for them either. You hang around riffraff like the Weasleys and Hagrid, and it’ll rub off on you.”

 

Then Blaise punched him harder in his back and he blinked.

 

Immediately, both Harry and Weasley are on their feet.

 

“Say that again,” the Weasley boy said, his face as red as his hair.

 

“Oh, you’re going to fight us, are you?” Draco said snidely.

 

“Unless you get out now,” Harry growled, eyeing Crabbe and Goyle.

 

“Draco, please stop.” Blaise whispered from behind him, tugging on his belt.

 

Goyle eyed at the chocolate frogs besides Weasley, reaching for one.

 

Weasley leapt forward, but before he got close enough to touch him, Goyle let out a loud yell that made Blaise and Harry both flinch.

 

Goyle ripped his hand back, and there was a fat rat hanging off his finger with its teeth sunk into his knuckle.

 

Draco and Vince backed up, making Draco stumbled back into Blaise.

 

Goyle swung his arm around, trying to dislodge the rat from his finger. Finally the rat flew off and hit the window.

 

Draco picked up Blaise and darted out of the compartment quickly, passing the girl with the bushy hair.

 

                                                            XoooooX

 

“That was a disaster, Draco! Is that really how you want to gain friends? Insulting their _dead parents_? You’re the single stupidest genius I know. _Ma’ va te ne fanculo!_ ” Blaise said, shoving Draco into his seat.

 

“Blaise…” Draco scowled.

 

“ _Porca troia!_ His parents are **dead** Draco! _A fanabla!_ ”

 

Suddenly, Draco burst into tears.

 

Blaise sighed. “Out, both of you.” He snapped at Crabbe and Goyle, sitting besides Draco and pulling his head to his chest.

 

“I ruined it Blaise… I was so close. I’ll be lucky if he ever speaks to me again… What did I do?” Draco cried into his chest.

 

Blaise stroked his white blonde hair. “You let your temper get the best of you and in the end, that’s the price you paid. Your friendship with Harry was exchanged for a flash of anger that could have been withheld. Insulting Weasley? Did you need to go that far?”

 

Draco blubbered an ineligible response.

 

Blaise kissed the top of his head. “You’re lucky you’re my best friend Draco. Come on, we’ll be at Hogwarts soon. We need to change into our robes.”

 

Draco sniffled and wiped his eyes, the mask his father taught him to use materializing. “You’re right…”

 

                                                            XoooooX

 

The boat ride to the castle was quite peaceful.

 

Luckily neither Crabbe nor Goyle said anything about Draco breaking down on the train.

 

That oaf Hagrid parked the boats and the first years climbed out and followed him up the staircase leading into the school from the grotto and they emerged on a spacious lawn

 

“Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?” the oaf asked before he raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

 

A stern looking witch in emerald robes and a tight black bun stepped out of the main entrance and looked around at the children below her.

 

“The firs’ years, Professor McGonagall,” Hagrid said proudly.

 

“Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here.” The witch addressed as McGonagall who according to his Hogwarts letter was the Deputy Headmistress.

 

She pulled the door wide.

 

The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the entire Nursery wing at the Manor in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

 

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor.

 

The drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right so the rest of the school must already be here but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.

 

“Welcome to Hogwarts,” said Professor McGonagall. “The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

 

“The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

 

“The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting.”

 

Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville’s cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Weasley’s smudged nose.

 

Draco painfully noticed as Harry nervously tried to flatten his hair.

 

“I shall return when we are ready for you,” Professor McGonagall said. “Please wait quietly.”

 

She left the chamber.

 

Suddenly, several people around Draco scream and many gasp.

 

Nearly twenty ghosts had streamed through the back wall.

 

Hardly noticing the first years, they continued talking among themselves. They seemed to be arguing.

 

“Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance—” A fat little ghost says.

 

“My dear Friar, haven’t we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he’s not really even a ghost—I say, what are all you doing here?”

 

A ghost wearing a ruff and tights suddenly notices the first years.

 

Nobody answers.

 

“New students!” the Fat Friar says, “About to be Sorted, I suppose?”

 

A few people nod mutely.

 

“Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!” The Friar says. “My old house, you know.”

 

“Move along now,” says a sharp voice. “The Sorting Ceremony’s about to start.”

 

Professor McGonagall had returned and one by one, the ghosts float away through the opposite wall.

 

“Now, form a line,” Professor McGonagall told them, “and follow me.”

 

Draco felt a bit light-headed and Blaise nudged him along. He got into line behind Weasley and walked out of the antechamber, resisting the urge to trip him.

 

They were led into the Great Hall, which was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that floated in midair over four long tables, where the other students are sitting. The tables were set with golden plates and goblets. The front of the hall had a similar table where the teachers sit that rest upon a dais.

 

Professor McGonagall led the first years up there, where they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring up at them looked a bit like pale lanterns in a flickering candlelight.

 

Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts hovered, shining misty silver.

 

Draco glanced around the Hall, catching sight of familiar faces.

 

Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years, and then she put a pointed wizard’s hat on top of its seat.

 

The hat was patched, frayed and extremely dirty. His mother would cringe at the sight of it. If it was as old as he suspected, not only had she cringed, she probably had to put it on.

 

The hat twitched and a rip near the brim opens like a mouth and then it began to sing.

 

 “Oh, you may not think I’m pretty,

 But don’t judge on what you see,

 I’ll eat myself if you can find

 A smarter hat than me.

 

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I’m the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

 

There’s nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can’t see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

 

You might belong in Gryffindor,

 Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry

 Set Gryffindors apart;

 

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid of toil;

 

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

if you’ve a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

 

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You’ll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means

To achieve their ends.

 

So put me on! Don’t be afraid!

And don’t get in a flap!

You’re in safe hands (though I have none)

For I’m a Thinking Cap!”

 

The entire hall burst into applause as the hat finished, it bowed to each of the four tables and then became still once more.

 

Professor McGonagall stepped forward holding a long roll off parchment.

 

“When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted,” she sid.

 

“Abbott, Hannah.”

 

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line and placing the hat on where it fell down covering her eyes as she sat.

 

“HUFFLEPUFF!”

 

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to join them, the ghost of the Fat Friar waved to her.

 

“Bones, Susan!”

 

“HUFFLEPUFF!”

 

“Boot, Terry!”

 

“RAVENCLAW!”

 

The table second from the left capped this time; several Ravenclaws standing to shake hands with Terry welcoming him to their ranks.

 

“Brocklehurst, Mandy” joined him at Ravenclaw as well, but “Brown, Lavender” becomes the first new Gryffindor.

 

If he was not mistaken Lavender was a cousin of Pansy’s…

 

The table on the far left exploded into cheers.

 

“Bulstrode, Millicent” became the first Slytherin.

 

Honestly as if Millie would be anything else, with her intelligence she might have been a Ravenclaw but with her best friend already in Slytherin Draco was not really surprised.

 

“Finch-Fletchley, Justin!”

 

“HUFFLEPUFF!”

 

“Finnigan, Seamus!”

 

A tiny boy with sandy hair stepped out of line and sat with the hat on his head for nearly a minute before it shouted,

 

“GRYFFINDOR!”

 

“Granger, Hermione!”

 

The bushy haired girl from the train ran to the stool radiating excitement and jammed the hat onto her head.

 

“GRYFFINDOR!”

 

When Neville Longbottom, the one who lost his toad, was called, he stumbled on his way to the stool.

 

Draco flinched in sympathy and Blaise went pink, knowing his best friend he was embarrassed on Neville’s behalf.

 

He was something Draco had read in Hogwarts: A History had called a hat stall…

When the hat finally shouted “GRYFFINDOR!” Neville ran off with the hat still on his head and had to jog back amid gales of laughter.

 

Then Draco was called and he walked forward.

 

The hat barely touched his head when it screamed, “SLYTHERIN!”

 

“Moody, Leslie” was sent to Hufflepuff.

 

Was it his imagination or was the girl trembling?

 

Then  “Nott, Theodoros” was called.

 

Draco’s jaw dropped, he had thought Theo had died all those years ago! How long had it been? Almost four years? The last time he had seen Theo Nott was at Theo’s eighth birthday party, right before his mother died. He was sure Theo died with her… To see him alive and well was a blow to the heart as well as the stomach. Why hadn’t Theo contacted them? He would have gladly helped the boy! Didn’t Theo have a brother and a sister?

 

“SLTHERIN!”

 

“Parkinson”, “Patil” and “Patil”, and “Peaks” are all sorted, when finally Draco heard the name that he’d been waiting for.

 

“Potter, Harry!”

 

Harry stepped forward and whispers broke out among the hall like a hissing fire.

 

“Potter, did she say?”

 

“The Harry Potter?”

 

The hat was dropped onto the small boy’s head as he sat on the stool.

 

He sat there for almost a solid five minutes, yet another hat stall.

 

A hush was now covering the hall like smoke.

 

Then the hat opened its ‘mouth’ and made a proclamation.

 

“GRYFFINDOR!”

 

Draco watched as Harry made his way to the Gryffindor table, who were cheering loudly.

 

“WE’VE GOT POTTER, WE’VE GOT POTTER!” a pair of redhead twins who could only be Weasleys began shouting, jumping up and down.

 

Dean Thomas became a Gryffindor after a slight pause, and immediately went to sit besides the tiny sandy-haired boy.

 

Lisa Turpin became a Ravenclaw, and then it was Weasley’s turn.

 

“GRYFFINDOR!”

 

Wasn’t that obvious? Since when was a _Weasley_ anything but a Gryffindor? Wasn’t it like a Malfoy in Slytherin?

 

Draco watched was Blaise walked forward confidently, meeting his eyes from across the Great Hall.

 

The hat was placed on his head.

 

“SLYTHERIN!”

 

Draco grinned at him and hugged him quickly before sitting down.

 

Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll, taking both the Sorting Hat and it’s stool away.

 

Draco’s stomach rumbled.

 

Immediately his cousin Adrian looked at him, grinning. “I remember how hungry I was first time I got here too.”

 

Albus Dumbledore rose to his feet and beamed at all the students with his arms open wide.

 

“Welcome,” he said. “Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here there are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!” then he sat back down.

 

Draco rolled his eyes as everyone clapped.

 

“He’s a daft old bastard, isn’t he?” he muttered.

 

“No, he’s actually quite intelligent.” Adrian corrected.

 

Draco scoffed, and watched as his plate fills with food.

 

A ghost hovered beside him and Draco shivered a bit, scooting closer to Blaise.

 

The ghost had blank staring eyes, a gaunt face, and silver blood stained on his robes which Hogwarts: A History had attributed to the Bloody Baron who was one of the two oldest Hogwarts’ ghosts.

 

Draco did his best to ignore the Bloody Baron and ate his food, careful not to gorge himself. That would terrible manners and being ill from such a foolish choice would make his time at Hogwarts unpleasant by putting on behind from the beginning

 

Uncle Sev was talking to a teacher with a turban, when Draco caught his gaze, silently attempting to ask when they could go to the dormitory.

 

Before Severus could reply, Dumbledore stood again and everyone went quiet.

 

“Just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to any pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well.” His eyes flash in the direction of the Weasley twins.

 

“I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house team should contact Madame Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year; the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death.”

 

Draco’s eyebrows furrowed, the old coot can’t be serious.

 

“And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!”

 

Draco and the Slytherins around him grimaced.

 

His mother Lyra would mutter the lyrics occasionally, when walking around the manor. Usually when she was upset, if she was humming Celestina she was happy unless it was a depressing song then that meant she was unhappy with father.

 

Dumbledore gave a flick of his wand and a long golden ribbon flew out, which rose above the tables and twisted into words.

 

“Everyone pick their favorite tune,” he said, “and off we go!”

 

Draco sat silently as the school around him bellowed:

 

“Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bad

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling

With some interesting stuff,

For now they’re bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we forgot,

Just do your best, we’ll do the rest,

And learn until our brains all rot.”

 

Everyone in the Great Hall finished the song at different times. At last, the younger Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped the loudest.

 

“Ah music,” he said, wiping his eyes. “A magic beyond what we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!”


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

 

September 1, 1991 (8:45 pm)

 

Draco stalked down to the dungeons at the front of the line, where the Prince usually stood.

 

The Boys Prefect opened the doors and Draco angrily made his way straight to the First Year dormitory.

 

The situation with Theo had made his night increasingly worse.

 

Blaise followed behind him and motioned for Greg and Vince to stay outside for a moment.

 

_“Qu'est-ce qui te prend? C'est notre première nuit ici et vous apporte déjà l'humeur de tout le monde vers le bas. Est-ce à propos de Harry? Théo? Pourquoi êtes-vous tellement en colère?"_

 

["What the hell has gotten into you? It's our first night here and you're already bringing everyone's mood down. Is this about Harry? Theo? Why are you so upset?"]

 

_"Oui bien sûr, c'est Théo! Il a laissé croire qu'il était mort depuis quatre ans, Blaise! Il était notre ami. Nous aurions pu aidé à faire face wiht la mort de sa mère. Qu'en est-il peu de Dareios et Charis Nott? Que faire si ils sont morts cette nuit et nous n'avions aucune idée de quel genre d'angoisse pensez-vous Theo vit grâce?"_

["Yes of course it's Theo! He let us believe he was dead for four years, Blaise! He was our friend. We could have helped him cope with his mother's death. What about little Dareios and Charis Nott? What if they died that night and we had no idea? What kind of anguish do you think Theo has been living through?"]

 

The door to the dormitory opened and Theo strolled in, followed by mutually distressed looking Vince and Greg.

 

“Hello, Theo.” Blaise said politely

 

“Draco.” Theo replied in an icy voice. “Blaise.”

 

Blaise flinched, the coldness was more painful than the reality that Theo was alive and had cut them out of his life when his mother died.

 

Draco scowled, “Did our friendship mean so little to you? So little that you could cast it off like spilt potion? Have you forgotten how close we were? Best friends, you called us. Was it all a lie?”

 

“Draco!” Blaise hissed, pulling on his sleeve, “What are you doing?”

 

“Friends?” Theo snorted, “Friends with the likes of you? I have no friends, nor do I find myself in need of them. I don’t mix with the likes of you, the children of my father’s compatriots. I have no desire to grow up to become the spineless set of sycophants that you will. You will be incapable of having a thought that is in opposition to your father’s. The person you were friends with is dead; I have no desire to have any part of him. I want no part of a friendship with the likes of you.”

 

“Theo…” Blaise whispered, “You’ve changed…”

 

“One can change a lot in four years.” Theo sneered. “I was sorted here but that doesn’t mean I wish to mix with anyone else in this House.”

 

“I’m the Prince!” Draco stomped.

 

“A Prince of fools perhaps but no prince of mine.” Theo said coldly.

 

To Blaise’s horror Draco raised his wand to Theo and hurled the first spell.

 

Theo of course countered and hurled a spell in retaliation.

 

Vince and Greg stared in horror while Blaise cowered. Hexes and jinxes flashed through the air.

 

Some Blaise didn’t recognize at all…

 

When did Theo get so good?

 

Theo’s spells drove Draco backwards shield or not against a wall.

 

Theo vanquished Draco’s shield by hammering at it until it shattered and pressed his wand tip against Draco’s throat. “You will leave me be and never mention a friendship between us again. In truth I am ashamed that it ever existed and I want nothing to do with your kind. You go your way and I go mine; you and your faithful cronies can be part of a group of murderous wretches but leave me out of it.”

 

“You, you,” Draco sputtered.

 

“Theo don’t hurt him.” Blaise begged.

 

“I won’t kill him.” Theo snorted, “You saw him, and he attacked me first. I merely ended the fight. Listen to me carefully Draco: Leave me alone.”

 

“Are they alright?” Blaise whispered.

 

“Who?” Theo growled.

 

“Dareios and Charis…” Blaise stammered.

 

“I don’t know anyone with those names.” Theo snorted before removing his wand from Draco’s throat. “I have more important things to do with my time then cross swords with you.” Theo stepped back and then stormed off to claim the farthest bed from the dormitory door.

 

Draco sagged while Blaise looked on with horror.

 

What had happened to change their friend so drastically? What did Theo mean about not knowing anyone named Dareios and Charis, they were his siblings!

 

The empty place in Blaise’s heart that held love for his old friend felt as if it had been carved out leaving a larger hole then he had realized. The hole was almost as big as the one left by his mother’s absence and rare correspondence. Lyra filled the absence of a mother but the second loss of Theo broke something in Blaise.

 

Blaise pulled out a piece of parchment and scratched out a letter for his friend’s mother who had opened her heart to him.

 

A tipping of his candle sealed the letter; Blaise felt less unsure because he knew Lyra would offer advice.

 

Still heartsick, Blaise accepted the help of his elf in preparing for bed before pressing the letter into Tinky’s hand. “Take this to Miss Lyra in person. Apologize for disturbing her but it is important.”

 

Tinky nodded bowing before leaving with soft pop.

 

Blaise climbed into his bed, raising a silencing charm before he let himself cry. Sobbing for the loss of his friendship with Theo, the pain of his four years of silence and that terrible thing that had changed Theo. Dareios and Charis… having never had real siblings only the children that had filled the Malfoy nurseries Blaise could hardly imagine how painful the loss of blood could be.

 

XoooooX

 

Lyra Malfoy nee Black, daughter of Cygnus Black and Drusilla formerly of the House of Rosier was at her dressing table in the room off the bedroom she shared with Lucius brushing out her long blond hair with natural dark roots.

 

After the death of her father-in-law Abraxus whom she had taken great care to appear solicitous of but truth be told she couldn’t stand him.

 

Like her Aunt Walpurga, Abraxus had attempted to push their bonding forward but Lucius, for all his mistakes her bonded had done his best to protect her and had insisted she be allowed to finish school before taking up her duties.

 

She could if pressed preside as a political hostess, were her sister Andromeda inclined in that direction rather than healing, Andromeda would have been a success. Salazar knew that Lucius and Annie made a perfectly balanced couple. How Lucius could possibly have chosen her when he had Andromeda as his betrothed, Lyra still couldn’t quite fathom but she was ever so grateful. She’d always had a worshipful admiration for the Malfoy heir but she’d never dared speak of it, it had been a struggle to retain an indifferent air so that Aunt Walpurga would insist upon it. Violent emotions such as love or jealous were not considered suitable for a Black so they arranged merely satisfactory that were acceptably based on the prospective family’s blood status.

 

Lucius had sat her down for a talk as soon as Abraxus was gone, the former Head of the House of Malfoy died in July the week after her bonding. They were bonded on the 22nd of June twelve days after her Graduation from Hogwarts.

 

At the time he was already rising in the Dark Lord’s service and that frightened her.

 

He had asked her what she wanted from their bonding, she already knew that he was a Veela and she was his mate.

 

The fact that he was Veela had been hidden; Andromeda and his friends Tiberius Pucey and Chadwick Montague had helped cover it up. Lucius had received his inheritance during the solstice of his Fifth Year when she was barely twelve and that had been rather disconcerting for them. Lucius had been insanely jealous of Regulus and George who had been like brothers to her; his jealousy of Azalea Flint had been of a different vein. Lyra was suspicious that it was because of her that Annie had jilted Lucius, not that her eldest sister didn’t love Ted Tonks but her reasoning why she had done so was because of her.

 

Lyra’s birth had sapped her mother Drusilla of her strength and she had become a sort of invalid. It was their mother’s poor care by her birth healer that had made Annie become their mother figure and had set her on a path to be a healer.

 

Unlike Andromeda and Bellatrix, Lyra didn’t have any real skill with Dark Magic, which made her an outcast in her birth family. Her leaning towards light magic was blamed on her Pucey grandmother Agrippina. Andromeda had nurtured her other skills and kept her out of Walpurga’s sight as much as possible, which made Lyra adore her all the more. Drusilla may have been her bearer but Annie was her mother in all the ways that mattered…

 

It had been nerve-wracking to be finally bonded to her beloved Lucius who worshipped her and had taken the time to ask her what she wanted.

 

Lyra had swallowed and told him she wanted children and to fill the Malfoy nursery.

 

To her surprise he had promised to ensure that she had all the children she could want.

 

Lucius had Brecc Montague, Pucey heirs Adrian and Gaheris; the Parkinson children Pansy and Laurel; the Goyle children Giselle, Greg and later Georgette; the Crabbes Vince and Isolde; and even Bella’s niece Millie spending much of their childhood in the Malfoy nurseries. Sometimes she even had the Greengrass heiresses Daphne, Maia and Arethusa on occasion, which was quite helpful…

 

Of course there were those who were her special favorites: Pansy and Laurel were the children of her best friend Azalea, Blaise who was her friend George Goyle’s adopted son and her friend Evelyn’s children Theodorus and Dareios Nott.

 

Lyra had chosen her favorites’ friendships; nudging Laurel Parkinson and Gary Pucey, her Draco to Theo and Blaise, Ayla to Maia, Adrian to Brecc, and even Millie to Giselle.

 

Finding an appropriate friend for Pansy was difficult; she was never welcome with Giselle and Millie though she was close in age and in intelligence. Lyra had taught them elementary magic together, starting their training even before Theo, Draco and Blaise did because they were older. Draco was seven months younger then Blaise and Theo but he was just as quick when it came to learning. If anyone were her favorite after excluding her Dragon and Ayla, it would be Millie and Pansy…

 

They could have been friends, they should have been but perhaps she let Millie have too much freedom so she could chose to exclude Pansy.

 

She wanted them to have access to learning about viewpoints beyond their fathers’, so they could think for themselves. Lucius had been made to join the Dark Lord’s ranks and to her fury he was still fiercely loyal despite his claims of the Imperious.

 

She was a good Bondmate and held her tongue, while she had no conviction that the Dark Lord was dead, Lyra hoped he was. She would not stand aside and let Lucius do to Draco what Abraxus did to him.

 

All through her musing Lyra had continued her nightly ritual of brushing out her hair, using at least a hundred strokes per section.

 

Her musing was broken by the appearance of Blaise’s elf, she frowned setting down her brush, “Tinkey isn’t it?”

 

The elf shifted nervously, “Yes ma’am. Master Blaise be apologizing for disturbing Missy Lyra.” It held out a hastily sealed missive.

 

Lyra had a cold shiver pass through her, for Blaise to send her a note this late couldn’t bode well.

 

With shaking hands she split the seal and opened the folded parchment…

 

The address on the letter made her heart clench…

 

**Mama Lyra**

 

It had been a contraction of Mama and Miss Lyra…

 

Many of her nursery children had called her that especially those who had no love at home like Pansy, Laurel, Millie and Blaise…

 

Swallowing Lyra read the note silently…

 

_‘Dear Mama Lyra,_

            _You’ll never guess who was here at Hogwarts and Sorted into Slytherin with us._

 

_Theo, our old playmate...._

_After spending four years thinking he was dead, Draco took it so terribly. Well you know his temper…_

_When we asked after Dareios and Charis, he said he knew no one with those names…_

_He didn't lose them too did he? Mama Lyra, Theo hates us..._

_He is ashamed he was ever friends with us. It’s so painful to be unwanted and cast off. I’ve tried to shield Draco    from ever feeling that way. Now my dearest friend knows the depth of such pain…_

_I don’t know how I’ll survive sharing a dormitory with someone who hates me. I’m not a Death Eater’s child even if I’m step cousin to the Goyles or yours and Lord Malfoy’s ward. What could I have done to make him hate me? He wants us to leave him alone. How can I turn my back on him? He’s so lonely I can see it. If anyone needed a friend it’s Theo but he doesn’t want our friendship._

_Sick at heart,_

_Your obedient,_

_Blaise Zabini''_

 

Of course like all her ward’s letters the boy had written instinctively in French, she had with Horatia Goyle taught Draco and Theo French so that they could talk with young Blaise.

 

While Geoffrey had always been contemptuous of Blaise because he blamed his mother Gabriella Bianchesshi for the untimely death of his brother, she and Horatia had tried to be kind to the boy after he was left behind…

 

Draco’s temper…

 

She knew it well, perhaps its existence was her fault. She hadn’t bothered attempting to tame the Black spirit from him. She wanted them to grow up to be more independent then she had herself.

 

In their own ways Ayla and Draco were both spoilt, she overindulged Draco’s whims while Lucius catered to Ayla’s.

 

Draco was named for Regulus’ favorite constellation and losing her favorite cousin whom she had been the closest too had sent her into mourning for the remainder of the war. Only Andromeda telling her she was pregnant with a son had saved her, so it was in part for her sister, because like Andromeda, Draco was a constellation…

 

Lucius had allowed her to have her own way rather than controlling her as her Aunt Walpurga had controlled Uncle Orion. He had helped Andromeda get accepted to St. Mungos’ Healing College by bribing the Dean when Aunt Walpurga had tried to blacklist Andromeda and her Muggleborn bonded after graduation. Since she went into healing and specialized in witch aliments as well as pregnancy her sister was a natural choice to go to.

 

Where Lucius was permissive with Ayla, he was overly strict with Draco creating a strange mix of depression, self-chastisement, perfectionism and idolizing of his father. Her brilliant son believed that being the perfect heir was the only way to obtain Lucius’ acceptance.

 

Lyra snapped her fingers and summoned her elf Thea.

 

“Yes Missy Lyra? What Missy be needing from Thea?”

 

“A quill, ink and parchment.” Lyra said as she frowned.

 

How should she advise Blaise? There was a core of steel in the boy that most missed, if Blaise ever found a person or a cause to fight for, her ward would be a force to be reckoned with. He was a Veela after all he struggled with unworthiness of his own since Lord Goyle despised him and his mother abandoned him. When she bothered to remember him at all, her solstice and birthday gifts were always late.

 

She had always tried to make a production of all of her children’s birthdays so that they knew they were equals…

 

The motherless ones like Blaise, Pansy and Laurel were closest to her heart and very close behind her Draco and Ayla…

 

Ayla had more spirit then herself and for that she was pleased.

 

Unlike Draco, Ayla had been named for a star and it meant golden halo and could be attested to the ones around the moon or the sun. It was also in the Serpent constellation so like Regulus, it was a star but it also honored Slytherin House…

 

A soft pop and Thea had returned to the writing implements…

 

Her favorite quill was a white peacock because it reminded her of Lucius…

 

Lyra shivered, she would not want Lucius to know that Draco had lost his temper the first day of school and attempted to duel a former childhood friend merely because Theo had cut him out of his life.

 

Surely, if Dareios had died he would have been in The Daily Prophet as Evelyn had been…

 

His previous lost children were stillborns or crib deaths so they had barely been named, Adelia was considered a suicide by non-Malfoys so she wasn’t spoke of. The Malfoys had long harbored suspicions that Oran Nott had been responsible for her death but it had been ruled a suicide because she couldn’t bear a healthy boy to term and her daughters died before they were six months.

 

Little Charis had been Evelyn’s joy while her sons were her pride, like her all Evie wanted was to be a mother…

 

In some ways Evelyn was closer to Theo then Lyra was to Draco, she wondered what the loss of her would do her son and then brushed away the thought. She would never allow anyone or anything to harm Draco or Lyra. Any of her children who sometimes called the Malfoy nursery home, were hers to protect and to guide.

 

She sighed as she finally put quill to parchment and began composing a reply in French…

 

                                         ‘ _Dear Blaise,_

 

_I am shamed to admit that Draco's conduct distresses me greatly. A duel in the dormitory? what a shameful exposure of his temper._

 

_My advice as to how to handle Theo is to let him come to you. You are correct, if his siblings had died than surely you would have heard. Whatever the story behind his hatred of his old playmates probably stems from your connections reluctant though they are to Death Eater families._

_  
_

_It is a shame that Draco must suffer this emotional ordeal and weather this storm, it is a growing experience but it may take him time to deal with it and recognize it as such. I will be informing Draco as to my displeasure with his behavior._

_Yet it is my hope that the three of you will one day be reunited in friendship, though I am convinced that you would be the first to take the step to renewing the friendship because you possess an open and caring heart. Cherish that Blaise; it will make you very happy one day, I believe this. Draco is proud, perhaps too proud so that apologies do not come easy for him. It is my hope that you and Adrian persist in showing him how to be a better and wiser individual._

_Draco maybe a Prince of Slytherin but a second also functions as a guide and advisor. In Lucius’ day that role was filed by Tiberius Pucey, I only wish that Tiberius had a greater influence on Draco’s father. I look to you to lead Draco to a wiser path by example. Perhaps if Draco rises above his father, Theo and he might reconcile._

_Be strong and courageous, the son of my heart._

_Lyra'_

 

Lyra sealed it and set it aside before writing a note to Draco chastising him for his behavior.

 

_'Dragon,_

_I am extremely disappointed in you! A duel your first night at Hogwarts? My pleasure at your being sorted into my former House was overshadowed by my disappointment._

_Why ever would you think that attacking Theo was the right choice? He was your friend. Even if he has chosen to forget that, you didn’t have to. You should have stood tall and being the wiser, cooler head and not be provoked directly or indirectly._

_Have you forgotten what I have always said? A Malfoy and a Black is always in control of themselves. You clearly lost control, you know better and such a display of temper is not only an embarrassment to both Houses you have the closest blood tie to but it is also a slight against Slytherin. You are quite lucky that your Godfather did not see fit to inform us or it wouldn’t be just my displeasure you would be facing. Be glad your father knows nothing._

_Your affectionate but disappointed mother,_

_Lyra'_

 

 

Immediately she handed them to her elf and sighed, “Add these to that package that Pavo was to bring Draco.”

 

Her son’s eagle owl had gone out hunting and wasn’t back before they’d gone to floo to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.

 

Then she reluctantly assumed a cheery face and went to face her bonded in their shared bedroom. It wouldn’t do to let Lucius learn of Draco’s crude behavior...

 

Their relationship was rocky enough as it was…

 

 

 

%MCEPASTEBIN%


	6. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're sorry for the delay but here is an update. There isn't any fluff in it but we hope you like it anyway. Oh and Happy V-day [or Single Awareness Day] depending on what you prefer to remember.

Chapter 5

 

September 2, 1991

 

Draco woke up by himself up far earlier than necessary, opting to take a shower before the march. As he climbed out of his bed, he shot a glance at Theo’s bed. He had acted horribly yesterday, and he knew how it had affected Blaise. He shouldn’t have drawn his wand on an old friend the way he had. It was not proper, and he couldn’t help but feel guilty for what he had done. Maybe he’d be better off without Theo’s friendship even if he felt an ache for its loss…

 

He grabbed his wand from under his pillow and cast a quick Tempus charm. He frowned when it revealed that it was only five in the morning.

 

Dobby appeared at once with a freshly ironed uniform, his slippers and a hot towel.

 

Draco put on his slippers and robe before taking the uniform and towel.

 

Theo should crawl back to him on his hands and knees, begging for forgiveness. He had insulted the prince and had assaulted him as well. Theo didn’t deserve his friendship.

 

                                                                        XoooooX

 

Blaise woke up to the sound of the dorm door closing, and he pulled back his curtains.

 

Greg’s curtains open at the same time and he waved at Blaise.

 

Blaise smiled at him softly, climbing out from under his covers and shivered when his bare feet hit the cold stone floor. But his elf appeared with his slippers, a heated

 

Greg had climbed out of his bed and was rummaging around in his trunk.

 

Blaise regarded his friend with a small melancholy feeling. He knew that Greg and Theo had been fairly close when they were children and he wondered how the boy was taking Theo’s open rejection. Blaise pulled out his clothes for the day and headed towards the dormitory door.

 

Greg had found what he had been looking for in his trunk and stood.

 

“Hey Blaise, wait up.” He called softly.

 

Blaise stopped just outside the door.

 

The bigger boy jogged over to him, stopping in the doorway.

 

Blaise smiled at him and began to walk towards the bathrooms.

 

Greg followed behind him. “Blaise?”

 

Blaise looked over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow.

 

Greg’s cheeks turned red and he looked down at his feet.

 

“If Draco and Theo aren’t talking to each other, does that mean I have to be mean to him?” Greg’s eyes met his.

 

Blaise sighed dejectedly.

 

“We were all such great friends Blaise; I don’t want him to hate me… I remember when we would play together in the Malfoy nursery… I missed Theo after he left for such a long time.” Greg said softly. “He would help me by explaining things and he never judged me for my reading problems. Draco has never had that sort of patience...”

 

Blaise looked at his friend in a new light. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, Greg. Draco acted like a child yesterday. He let his anger get the best of him and he acted out. I may be mad at him but he is my best friend. I don’t know Greg… Maybe Theo just needs time to readjust.” Blaise shrugged and bit his lip.

 

Greg muttered something under his breath while Blaise continued to head for the bathrooms.

 

They parted ways once they’d entered, and Blaise turned on his shower quickly, standing under the heated water until he woke up fully. He knew that it would eventually be time to line up for the march to breakfast.

 

                                                                        XoooooX

 

Draco changed into his uniform quickly before heading out into the common room.

 

Most of the Slytherin house was gathered around the doors chatting idly. Breakfast would begin at 6:30 so the house would leave the common room together around 6:20.

 

Draco caught sight of his cousin Adrian, who stood beside his best friend Brecc, Theo sitting in the corner with a scowl on his face, Vince was standing next to a table having a heated discussion with Pansy Parkinson, and Blaise was still nowhere to be seen. He was probably still pissed with how Draco handled things.

 

Adrian caught sight of him and smiled, waving. Brecc did the same and Draco waved back. Draco starts to head over to them but the Prefects clap their hands for everyone’s attention.

 

“Alright! The first House March of the year. Returning students, please line up the way you normally would; by year then status. First Years line up at the back, behind the second years, and arrange yourself in alphabetical order until your status is given. Draco and his party are to fall in up here and lead us to breakfast. Understood?”

 

The House replied in agreement.

 

“I think we need assigned door openers. Draco suggestions?” Brecc Montague mused from his place at Adrian’s side.

 

“True, it is traditionally a job for First Years. Draco any suggestions?” Adrian nodded.

 

Marcus Flint, their House’s Quidditch captain seemed irritated about how involved Brecc and Adrian seemed to be.

 

The Slytherin prefects didn’t seem perturbed by this since deferring to members of the Slytherin court; its King, Queen and Prince was so ingrained in their House’s society.

 

Blaise appeared just as Draco began to speak.

 

“Blaise is to march as my second, while Greg and Vince are my guards. So that leaves just Theo for the boys, perhaps we need a witch this year to assist. Millie that wouldn’t displease you would it? Once the House has departed then you and Theo can take your place at the tail of our procession.”

 

Millie shrugged, “I don’t really care.”

 

Theo stiffly made his way towards the door just as Blaise, Greg and Vince took their places for the March and the rest of the House took their positions.

 

Behind Greg and Vince came the Seventh Years and so on.

 

Once they were all in order, Theo and Millie opened their respective doors and the House marched through.

 

Once they were all clear, Draco heard the doors close behind them and suspected that Theo and Millie had taken their positions at the tail of the House.

 

Draco led them up the corridor but refused to pause when they met up with straggling Hufflepuffs near the kitchens making them wait for Slytherin to pass.

 

The House entered the Great Hall together walking between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff’s table.

 

Last night Blaise had noticed that there were three entrances into the Great Hall, the door by which the First Years entered last night that was behind and to the right of the Head table’s dais; this entrance and the one at the end of the Hall by Slytherin.

 

Slytherin filed around their table and took their places in time for the food to appear.

 

Since many of Slytherin were raised in upper class homes with impeccable manners taught and expected politeness was rampant. They quietly requested dishes and pitchers to be passes and showed proper gratitude or demurred when they were needed to pass them along to another student.

 

Conversation was not popular at Slytherin table it seemed due to the earliness of the hour and the abject horror of talking with one’s mouth full of food.

 

Soon the sound of owls filled the room.

 

Blaise noticed that Draco flinched when his owl appeared with a letter from his mother along with a small box of sweets to ‘share’ with his friends though Blaise was sure there wouldn’t be much ‘sharing’ involved.

 

Draco opened the letter and turned pale the longer he read on. Once he was finished reading, his friend put the letter in his pocket.

 

Eventually their Head of House and former tutor Severus Snape appeared. He greeted each student by name and wished him or her well. The Professor made sure that the students were satisfied before moving to the next. He started with the Seventh Years and then moved down the years one by one. His last visit was to Draco and his entourage.

 

“Hello Uncle Severus.” Draco said with quiet excitement.

 

“Draco I would prefer while we are in Hogwarts that you address me as Professor Snape. Here is your schedule. I have included directions to each classroom as well as the directions to its corresponding professor’s office. I would have included a map however since Hogwarts is unplottable that is an impossibility.” Professor Snape chided.

 

Draco, Blaise, Greg and Vince accepted their schedule with proper gratitude.

 

“Slytherin remember I do not tolerate tardiness to my class from my House anymore then I tolerate it to my fellow professors. If you will be late I expect you to have a note from your previous professor or Hogwarts’ medi-witch.” Snape said gruffly. “We are held to be an intelligent and proud House, you should know to take pride in your school work and I expect high marks. If a course is difficult then you should be wise enough to find a tutor or to ask assistance from a professor. Some professors are more willing to assist you then others.”

 

The House murmured agreement.

 

Then Snape left.

 

Once they finished their meal, Draco led his fellow First Years to his godfather’s class for their first lesson.

 

Blaise watched irritated when Draco snickered when their former tutor made the snide remark about Harry Potter being their ‘new celebrity’.

 

Honestly, Blaise didn’t see what was so funny about having Potter in their class. His reasoning for being famous was sad, having lost his own father to untimely death Blaise empathized with Potter.

 

Blaise lost some of his respect for Draco’s godfather as their potions lesson went on and their Head of Slytherin House continued to pick on Potter.

 

XooooooX

 

The rest of the day seemed rather dull, it was a Monday so they had Potions first thing, then Herbology- since it was a single period it was lecture and held in first floor classroom rather then a greenhouse.

 

Their Herbology professor was Pomona Sprout; she was a short woman who had rather muscular arms due to her work her skin was rather tanned due to her work. Sprout also wore an apron that was covered in layers of different types of soil.

 

She seemed good-natured and hard working, very much the Hufflepuff according to Hogwarts: A History.

 

Despite Snape’s bullying of Potter, at the end of the day, Blaise decided he liked Sprout and Snape far more than he liked Quirrell.

 

The man was squirrelly, that was the right word in English right? He was on edge, spooked and he stuttered a lot…

 

He didn’t seem very suited to teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, Blaise thought that if a Dark Wizard attacked that Quirrell’s first reaction would be to faint…

 

XooooooX

 

Blaise and Draco had been rather off, well distant since Draco received his letter from his mother chiding his treatment of Theo.

 

Since their first free period was Tuesday’s first period, that was when Blaise asked Draco if they were going to study in their dorm room.

 

Greg took a hint and stated that he and Vince were going to study in the common room.

 

Theo vanished soon after breakfast and wasn’t in their dormitory when they arrived.

 

They pulled out their homework from yesterday even if it wasn’t much it was best to get it over with so it wouldn’t pile up.

 

After twenty minutes of silence Blaise coughed, “Are you angry with me?”

 

Draco sighed, “No. I know you rely on mother a lot since yours is always away. Didn’t she take you to get your wand on your birthday?”

 

Blaise nodded, “Madre was supposed to come as well but I suppose she was busy. So Lady Horatia, Greg and Giselle’s mother as well as Mama Lyra took me to Paris to be paired with a wand.”

 

Draco muttered, “You weren’t the only one with a parent who didn’t have time for you when it came to that important event. Father promised to take me on my birthday but was called away to the Ministry. He kept rescheduling the trip to Ollivanders for my wand and then decided the day mother insisted was the very last day we could go, the day I met Potter, Father decided not to go. Wizengamot or Governors’ business, I don’t even remember or care which.”

 

“I didn’t see your father at the Platform.” Blaise added quietly.

 

“Once again business is more important then his heir’s milestones in life. Father would never do that to Ayla; he would take her to get her wand on her birthday and he would have to see his princess of to Hogwarts. I wouldn’t be surprised if he missed my bonding even if he consented to the match.” Draco spat. “Oh but he would never miss Ayla’s unless he was dead.”

 

Draco’s behavior would imply that he was jealous or even resentful of his sister, which to Blaise’s knowledge that was partially true. His friend just wanted to know that his father actually cared about him beyond the fact that he was his heir…

 

Blaise could understand the feeling; he wished he knew his mother still loved him. Was she away so much because she hated him? Did he look like his father and make her unhappy?

 

Blaise cleared his throat, “I wish I could say something to make you feel more assured.”

 

“You won’t abandon me or turn on me would you?” Draco asked petulantly.

 

Blaise snorted, “Abandon you? Perish the thought. I might restrain you for your own good though…”

 

“Let’s hope it isn’t needed.” Draco chuckled.

 

 


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

 

 

One of the benefits of being friends with Draco Malfoy or being Draco Malfoy was that no expense was spared when it came to your education.

 

Although Draco’s father had once flown for their mutual House Team back in the early Seventies, he had arranged though Professor Severus Snape for a Chaser on the Appleby Arrows to teach them how to fly after they received real brooms for their ninth birthdays.

 

Draco’s birthday was in early June so it was outside of the usual Quidditch Season and the lessons were a gift that they all were allowed to take part in.

 

Neither Mama Lyra or Professor Severus were fond of brooms but they were willing to allow them to learn to fly safely.

 

Theo had missed those lessons but Adrian and Brecc had come to ‘assist’ their flying instructor who just happened to be Breec’s youthful Aunt Maria Montague.

 

The idea that they were going to have to sit through lessons they didn’t need was putting Draco in a temper.

 

Then again being around Potter easily put him in a temper, and it was quite obvious to all that Draco loathed Ronald Weasley for daring to befriend Potter.

 

Far too obvious, Draco’s parents would be appalled and to be honest Blaise was sick of chiding him for his ridiculous behavior.

 

The note pinned up by Fifth Year Boys Prefect Terrance Higgs who also flew as their House Seeker announcing that their Flying Lessons were to be shared with Gryffindor nearly put Blaise in a temper himself.

 

Just great…

 

As if having to sit through Defense and Potions with a brooding Draco who kept scowling at Potter and Weasley wasn’t bad enough…

 

XooooooX

 

Theo was as stand offish as he usually was.

 

Like Millie, Theo was a loner and walking at the far end of the House March suited them…

 

Pansy had no female friends so she spent more time in their company not that Blaise cared.

 

Pansy was smarter than her fashion-obsessed nature seemed and was often misjudged yet her tongue was as sharp as Draco’s but her temper was not as short.

 

Pansy had taken an instant dislike to a girl she called that upstart Muggleborn. Granger, the bushy-haired girl from the train was an attention-seeker, Professor Severus detested her and the other teachers adored her. Pansy said scathingly that Granger scored high because the professors wanted to seem open-minded and give the highest marks to a Muggleborn but in Blaise’s ‘neutral’ opinion, Granger had a brain like a library…

 

After their usual classes, the ten Slytherin First Years headed out towards the Quidditch Pitch.

 

As per usual, Theo and Millie were at the end of their procession with Draco, Blaise, Greg and Vince at its head.

 

Pansy, Tracy, Daphne and Elaine Vance were always in the middle of their group; Pansy and Elaine were always in the same place but Tracy and Daphne sometimes switched places.

 

Slytherin was demure for the most part at first…

 

Blaise had a sinking feeling that Draco was going to expose his temper again.

 

Greg had told him about the incident at breakfast that morning with Longbottom’s Remembrall and Blaise had been furious.

 

Vince rarely had the foresight to realize that the Second should be aware of all of the Prince’s doings.

 

Which was why Blaise of the opinion that his step cousin Greg was more intelligent then Vince…

 

So at three-thirty that Thursday afternoon Theo, Blaise and the other Slytherin First Years were already on the pitch waiting for their instructor Hooch.

 

As well as waiting for the Gryffindors but they could do without them anyway…

 

If only so that Draco would keep his temper and guard his words...

 

There were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground in varying states of overuse.

 

Predictable Draco was looking at them in distaste.

 

While Blaise was a bit wary not of flying but how this lesson would play out, he could only beg the fates that there would be no interaction between Draco and Potter…

 

Theo appeared as if he just wanted it over with so he could return to his studies…

 

Their teacher, Madam Hooch, finally arrived. She had short, gray hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk. “Well, what are you all waiting for?” she barked. “Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up.”

 

Theo strode over to the broomsticks and like Millie, he was on the outside on Slytherin end of the assembled students. Blaise watched as he glanced down at his broom; it was old and some of the twigs stuck out at odd angles but unlike Draco it didn’t app that he cared really.

 

“Stick out your right hand over your broom,” called Madam Hooch at the front, “and say ‘Up!’”

 

“UP” everyone shouted.

 

Blaise wasn’t surprised that Draco had claimed the less used looking of all the brooms. Like a good second he took the broom on his right leaving Greg and Vince to pick brooms on either side of them.

 

“Up!” Longbottom had stammered, with a nervous quiver in his voice.

 

Only his broom hadn’t moved at all.

 

Perhaps brooms, like the Malfoy’s Abraxans, could tell when you were afraid…

 

In Blaise’s opinion, the quaver in Longbottom’s voice that said only too clearly that he desperately wanted to keep his feet on the ground…

 

Draco was sniggering beside him at Longbottom’s discomfort and Blaise was irritated at his callousness.

 

Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips

 

Draco was furious when Madam Hooch dared to tell him that his mounting and grip were wrong. He was the type unfortunately to take his anger out on the closest target and an instructor wasn’t possible.

 

His scowl deepened when Potter and Weasley seemed to giggle at that.

 

Blaise didn’t see what was so wrong about Draco’s form it worked for him after all. Besides, wasn’t it like holding a quill? After all you might have a different writing hand or form for writing but as long as your writing was legible that was fine wasn’t it?

 

Theo knew Draco well enough to remember his stubbornness and the look he gave Blaise implied that he doubted very much that despite this public shaming that Draco would change his form at all.

 

“Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard,” Madam Hooch said. “Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle — three — two —”

 

Longbottom was so nervous, jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground that he pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch’s lips.

 

“Come back, boy!” she shouted.

 

Blaise and Draco’s Veela sharp eyes saw that Longbottom was rising straight up first twelve feet and then twenty feet.

 

The clumsy Gryffindor was scared and white-faced as he looked down at the ground falling away, Draco saw him gasp and faint sliding off his broom and heading for the ground like a falling stone.

 

Blaise watched horrified as Longbottom rose higher and higher, only to gasp and slip sideways off the broom and…

 

WHAM

 

There was a sickening thud and a nasty crack when Longbottom hit the pitch floor.

 

Longbottom lay face down on the grass in a heap and didn’t move.

 

Madam Hooch was bending over the boy, her face as white as his.

 

Blaise’s ears twitched, when he overheard her muttering. “Broken wrist, come on, boy. It’s all right, up you get.”

 

Hooch turned to the rest of the class. “None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you’ll be out of Hogwarts before you can say ‘Quidditch.’ Come on, dear.”

 

Longbottom came to soon after hitting the ground and their hearing a terrifying snap. His face was tear-streaked as he clutched his wrist and hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.

 

In a haze of pain the boy didn’t realize he’d left his Remembrall, it had fallen from his pocket after he landed or when he pushed off so it was currently glittering in the sun.

 

No sooner were they out of earshot than Draco burst into laughter.

 

“Did you see his face, the great lump?”

 

Other Slytherins joined in; but they were Pansy, Vince and Greg.

 

“Shut up, Malfoy,” Parvati Patil snapped.

 

“Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?” Pansy sneered. “Never thought you’d like fat little crybabies, Parvati.”

 

“Look!” Draco said as he darted forward and snatched something out of the grass. “It’s that stupid thing Longbottom’s Gran sent him.”

 

The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up nearly blinding Blaise.

 

Blaise closed his eyes; this couldn’t end well. Draco needed to excise his bullying tendencies before they got him into serious trouble.

 

Theo was not surprised but he wasn’t pleased.

 

“Give that here, Malfoy,” Potter said quietly.

 

At that, everyone stopped talking to watch.

 

Draco smirked. “I think I’ll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find… how about up a tree?”

 

“Give it here!” Potter yelled.

 

Blaise heard a woosh as the broom Draco had been using soared by, he opened his eyes to see Draco leap on it and take off. ‘Merlin! Draco was going to be in so much trouble with Mister Lucius and the Professor…

 

Theo scowled, Draco had neither been lying or exaggerating, he could fly well. Then again with his own pitch at Malfoy Manor, what did one expect?

 

Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak Draco called down, “Come and get it, Potter!”

 

Potter grabbed his broom and pushed off.

 

“No!” Hermione Granger shouted. “Madam Hooch told us not to move, you’ll get us all into trouble.”

 

Blaise watched him soar towards Draco and he knew, Harry Potter was born to fly.

 

Challenging him would only make Draco look all the more the fool.

 

Theo could hear screams and gasps of the girls around him Slytherin and Gryffindor as well as an admiring whoop from Weasley.

 

Blaise saw Potter turned his broomstick sharply to face Draco in midair and he looked stunned.

 

“Give it here,” Potter called out, “or I’ll knock you off that broom!”

 

“Oh, yeah?” Draco tried to sneer, but was clearly looking worried.

 

Somehow it seemed as if Potter knew what to do, because he leaned forward and grasped the broom tightly in both hands, immediately it shot toward Draco like a javelin.

 

Draco only just got out of the way in time; only to have Potter turn his broom around grasping the broom steadily.

 

A few Gryffindors below were clapping: Thomas, Weasley and Finnigan to be exact.

 

“No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy,” Potter snorted.

 

Draco appeared to have come to the same conclusion.

 

“Catch it if you can, then!” Draco shouted as he threw the glass ball high into the air and then streaked back toward the ground.

 

Blaise watched the ball rise up in the air and then start to fall.

 

Potter leaned forward and pointed his broom handle down, immediately he was gathering speed in a steep dive and racing the ball to the ground.

 

Blaise’s heart was in his throat, the Gryffindors were screaming.

 

As if he wasn’t worried at all, Theo watched as Potter stretched out his hand when he was merely a foot from the ground and caught it.

 

Potter pulled out of the dive just in time to pull his broom straight, and he toppled gently onto the grass with the Remembrall clutched safely in his fist.

 

Draco was fuming and his eyes were alight with jealousy.

 

Potter had no time to savour his success…

 

“HARRY POTTER!”

 

Professor McGonagall was running toward them.

 

Potter got to his feet, trembling.

 

Draco was smug, “He’ll get thrown out now.”

 

Blaise glared at him, “Shut up Draco.”

 

The Slytherins gasped in surprise at his reaction.

 

Theo was surprised, he hadn’t thought Blaise had that kind of courage.

 

“Never…in all my time at Hogwarts,” Professor McGonagall seemed almost speechless with shock, but her glasses flashed furiously, “How dare you! Might have broken your neck,”

 

“It wasn’t his fault, Professor,”

 

“Be quiet, Miss Patil!”

 

“But Malfoy,”

 

“That’s enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now.”

 

Potter’s spine stiffened as he caught sight of Draco, Vince and Greg’s seemingly triumphant faces.

 

Blaise scowled at the three of them lecturing Draco in French to keep his chastisement out of most persons’ understanding, “I suppose you all think it’s very funny. If Potter had gotten hurt Draco, do you think they would have gone easy on you? You were both told to leave the brooms alone. Potter had never flown before; it could have ended very badly. I may not be your second for much longer but I’ll tell you this much; was the momentary pleasure of tormenting someone or two someone’s worth a life? I know you Draco, the last thing you would ever want is knowing you were the reason someone lost their life. So why don’t you think your actions over and decide if they were the right ones or if you were living up to being a Slytherin at all.” Then he turned his back on them and moved so Theo was between him and Draco.

 

Theo didn’t move but if Draco tried to attack Blaise, he appeared to be fingering his wand as if he thought he might have to protect Blaise from Draco. No doubt that Theo thought he knew that Blaise was no fighter. Blaise could read the same in Greg’s stony face...

 

Draco was furious, that was apparent.

 

Vince and Greg were glancing at him as if hoping for directions.

 

None were forth coming…

Finally Hooch appeared and hurried back across the pitch towards them, her face grey and she made them finish the lesson without Longbottom or Potter.

 

Draco fumed through the rest of the lesson.

 

Theo and Greg were hyper vigilant of his behavior and Theo had moved closer to their group as if he didn’t trust Draco not to attack Blaise.

 

For Blaise’s part he was almost certain that Draco wouldn’t hurt him, he just wanted to do his duty as a second and reign in Draco when necessary…

 

Aside from Draco’s temper, Blaise’s icy silence, the whispered worrying from the Gryffindor witches and the awe from the remaining Gryffindor wizards, the lesson was rather bland.

 

Blaise was only too happy to be released so that he could go study in the library and work on his homework.

 

Draco was likely to fume for a few hours…

 

XooooooX

 

Blaise was surprised to have Greg appear in the library sans Draco or Vince…

 

He was further surprised when someone raised a silencing ward around his study table.

 

He glanced up to find Greg alone and wringing his hands.

 

His step cousin frowned, “We need to talk.”

 

“Where are Draco and Vince?” Blaise scowled.

 

Greg flinched, “That’s why we have to talk.”

 

Worried, Blaise stuffed his things back in his bag and wordlessly followed Greg out of the library to an alcove just past a portrait of Vindicus a former Head of Slytherin.  


“I’m worried. I know we’re supposed to protect the Prince but he’s done something…” Greg whispered.

 

Blaise frowned, “What has he done now?”

 

“Challenged Potter to a wizard’s duel in the trophy room at Midnight. Weasley volunteered as Potter’s second and Draco picked Vince.” Greg said looking away.

 

“Are you telling me because you’re worried or as revenge for his not picking you?” Blaise asked crossing his arms.

 

“Vince might be bigger than me but he’s the dumbest of all of us and you know it as well as I do. Sure he can read better than me but he as Salazar knows can’t understand it unless you explain it in very small words.” Greg snarled through clenched teeth.

 

“Peace.” Blaise said holding up his hand. “I want you to go find Draco and Vince. Tell them to meet me in the dormitory. I’ll be there soon.”

 

Greg frowned, “Where are you going?”  


Blaise smirked, “To keep Draco from getting us all in trouble.”

 

Greg blanched but scurried off as fast as his thick legs could carry him.

 

Blaise pulled out a scrap of parchment and scribbled a note on it.

 

He then went in search of Prefect Weasley.

 

While Blaise wasn’t going to name anyone involved he did want to prevent Draco from going…

 

Blaise found Percy Weasley thankfully on rounds in the library and dropped the note on his textbook.

 

All it said was that then was an arranged midnight wizard’s duel that night and to make sure that Filch was informed.

 

Blaise then made his way to the dungeons…

 

Blaise hurried inside the common room and strode quickly through it to the stairs leading up to his shared dormitory.

 

He found Theo there at a desk in a darkened corner.

 

He gasped, “I know you don’t want anything to do with us but I’m begging you. Please can you step out when Draco gets here? I’ve got something I need to tell him. I know you hate me but please, we used to be friends. In that light I only need the room for ten minutes?”

 

To his surprise, Theo rose and stretched. “I needed to use the washroom anyway.

 

Blaise waked stunned as Theo strolled across the room opening the door.

 

Draco was standing there with a scowl on his face and his hand outstretched for the handle.

 

“You make a better wall then a door Malfoy.” Theo snarled.

 

“So do you.” Draco snapped but surprisingly stepped aside.

 

Theo strode off, his nose in the air.

 

The moment Draco entered the room, Blaise looked at Greg, “You and Vince guard the door. You may admit Theo in ten minutes. Draco and I have a few things to discuss.”

 

Greg nodded immediately and shut the door.

 

Draco scowled at him, “Are you going to apologise for your disrespect this afternoon?”  


Blaise snorted, “My disrespect? You were the one who was behaving irresponsibly and you say I was disrespectful? As your second I’m supposed to look out for you. This time I decided that I’d chide you in private like I did on the train. What in Salazar’s name is it about Potter that makes you irrational?”

 

“What are you talking about?” Draco sneered.

 

“You stupid duel no doubt spouted off in a tirade of childish rage at Potter. Involving me or Greg would have been cruel enough to but to drag Vince into it? You have to spoon feed him information, because he doesn’t retain well and you know it! He doesn’t know half the spells I do. If you were going to duel seriously you should have ordered Brecc to be your second.” Blaise snapped.

 

Brecc was Adrian Pucey’s best friend and the Montague heir; he was tied for the highest marks of his year with Adrian and they had been accepted on the House team as Chasers this year.

 

“Well, I said it was Vince and Vince it will be.”

 

“Oh no it won’t!” Blaise’s eyes flashed, “Only over my dead body will you go to this duel, because I won’t permit you to drag Vince out on a fool’s errand. Your temper isn’t a good enough reason to make Vince chance getting detention and you both shaming our House. You know perfectly well how the Professor feels about tardiness and curfew. I won’t let you do this. If I even think you’re going tonight, I’ll have Amry tie you to your bed or use his magic to make you sleep. None of which will do you any harm and as your second it’s my duty to protect you even from yourself!”

 

“Are you challenging me Blaise?” Draco spat.

 

Blaise gave him a cold smile, “I told you, I’ll protect you from yourself. You’ll be staying in the dungeons until morning.”

 

They glared at one another but not once did Draco reach for his wand and neither did Blaise.

 

“You know they’ll say I’m a coward.” Draco scowled.

 

“Since when do you care what a Weasley thinks of you?” Blaise said sagely.

 

Draco sneered, “I don’t.”

 

“Besides, wouldn’t you rather they were the ones caught after curfew? Surely you didn’t make the challenge in earnest.” Blaise snickered.

 

“Of course I want them in trouble.” Draco snorted, “Why would I make a challenge to a Gryffindor in earnest? After all, I do know what Uncle Sev said about being out after curfew.”

 

Blaise smothered a smirk of triumph, “Then we’re all staying in Slytherin House tonight?”

 

Draco sniffed, “Of course.”

 

The door was opened and Theo shrugged off Greg’s hand.

 

Blaise chuckled, “It’s alright Greg we’re done anyway. Draco agreed to help me with my Charms essay.”

 

Blaise intended to ask his elf to seal the door anyway, he just wasn’t sure he trusted Draco to keep his word to him if he thought missing a duel would besmirch his honour.

 

XoooooX

 

Blaise planned to stay up to nearly midnight but he wasn’t really surprised to hear Draco try to slip out of bed at a quarter after eleven.

 

“Draco!” he hissed, “Where do you think you’re going?”

 

“The bathroom?” Draco stammered.

 

Blaise snorted, “Go back to bed, the dormitory door won’t open until morning. I can plot five moves ahead, that's why I always beat you at Chess remember?”

 

Draco sniffed but slipped back into bed.

 

Blaise heard a sigh of relief coming from both Greg and Vince’s beds.

 

“Good night all of you.” Theo snapped. “Some people are trying to sleep.”

 

The other four fell silent but Blaise didn’t fall asleep until he heard the familiar sounds of all four boys sleeping…

 

 

 

 


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

 

While Blaise hadn’t been removed as Draco’s second, his friend was cold and stand offish until Draco cooled off.

 

Theo had the strange appearance of hovering and observing much to Draco’s confusion.

 

Blaise wondered if Theo was exhibiting a protective stance because of him and hoped it meant that at least his friendship with Theo wasn’t lost.

 

He wasn’t cruel by nature and he did his best to appear pleasant to his old friend, while he didn’t speak to Theo Blaise did greet him with a smile. Blaise took Mama Lyra’s advice to heart; he had to let Theo come to him…

 

Halloween or Samhain was a holiday which they used to catch up on their homework since they weren’t trapped in lecture or practical classes like other days.

 

Blaise worked on his easier subjects first leaving Charms for last because it was always more difficult for him, unlike Transfiguration which was a breeze.

 

Blaise wondered if that was because he was a shifter…

 

Blaise reluctantly had to ask Draco for assistance with Charms before he could help Greg, his step cousin had the misfortune to have difficulty reading and writing because letters and words were jumbled in his head and by his pen. So Blaise had to read the chapters out loud for him and edit his essays, Draco didn’t have the patience when he was in a temper because reading and writing were easy for him, Draco had difficulty understanding such a disability presuming as some did that Greg was as unintelligent as Vince.

 

Blaise was always startled once the corrections were made at how interesting and unique Greg’s perspective was…

 

Draco had been surprised to find that Weasley and Potter weren’t worse for possibly having snuck out to meet him when Blaise had them locked the dormitory.

                              

This was the reason for Draco’s temper…

 

Surprisingly, studying could be as draining as a day full of classes they were grateful for the feast that Halloween brought …

 

Since lunch and dinner weren’t as important as breakfast on a weekday there was no house march to dinner.

 

The decorated Great Hall wasn’t something they were really used to but it was exciting…

 

It would have been boring if it weren’t for the decorations including the numerous pumpkins some were as big as the carriages the older students rode to Hogwarts in.

 

There were snake-like streamers floating through the air while live bats were darting around the floating strips of coloured paper.

 

Only the Muggleborn witches were fools enough to shriek about the unlikelihood of bats getting tangled in their hair.

 

The Headmaster rose for a pre-dinner speech but before anyone could really eat aside from persons like the Weasleys who ate like animals; their foolish Defence professor stumbled into the Great Hall.

 

“Troll in the dungeons. Thought you should know.” Quirrell announced before the usually stammering fool slumped to the floor seemingly in a faint.

 

Immediately Dumbledore snapped, “Prefects please escort your students to their common rooms and keep them there.”

 

Blaise let out an undignified squeak.

 

Their common room was in the dungeons!  

 

Professors Sprout and Snape exchanged strange glances before leaving the dais to approach their respective Houses.

 

Blaise was wringing his hands in fear.

 

Draco on the other hand was wrinkling his nose in disgust, trolls were filthy violent creatures.

 

Vince looked confused while Greg was frowning in worry.

 

Snape cleared his throat in an attempt to get their attention.

 

Slytherin of course were prompt in focusing on their surly Head of House.

 

“In light I think it’s prudent for you to not return to your common room until we have dealt with the troll. If it is in dungeon you may be in danger if you enter them to reach our common room.”

 

“Severus is right,” Sprout nodded, “instead your prefects will be escorting you to the library. One of us will fetch you when the dungeons are clear.”

 

Blaise let out a squeak of relief.

 

Both Draco and Professor Severus glared at him for his outburst.

 

Blaise hung his head in shame.

 

To everyone’s surprise, it wasn’t a prefect or even their Quidditch Captain Marcus Flint who took Slytherin in hand but rather Third Years Adrian Pucey and Brecc Montague.

 

An eyebrow was raised and a strange look exchanged between Draco and his godfather.

 

Yet Slytherin followed wordlessly as they joined Hufflepuff in heading for the library.

 

No sooner had they arrived, the students claimed tables in their usual groups.

 

A Hufflepuff that was believed to be Hannah Abbott was sniffling and shaking with fear as were Leslie Moody and Leanne Runcorn.

 

Blaise was jumping at shadows and straining both his ears and nose to make sure the troll wasn’t near.

 

A hand squeezed his shoulder after Draco led Vince and Greg to find a table, Theo’s voice was icy, “Hogwarts’ library is protected. Probably one of the more strongly warded places in Hogwarts aside from the Great Hall and the Infirmary…”

 

Blaise swallowed.

 

Then Theo claimed a table near Draco’s that had Second Years Aodhan Urquhart and Hironori Kudo but neither spoke to Theo anymore then he to them.

 

They summoned their unfinished homework or gossiped until Professor Sprout appeared…

 

They were called to the corridor by a bird whistle that filled the subdued library filled with Slytherins and Hufflepuffs.

 

Adrian spoke first, “Professor has the troll been apprehended?”

 

Sprout nodded, “Yes, however Professor Snape has been detained and he asked me to escort both our houses to the dungeon proper and ascertain for myself that there is no danger to you the students in our charge.”  


While Slytherin didn’t think much of Hufflepuffs, they were forced to begrudgingly treat Sprout with respect.

 

Since they were hungry and following Professor Sprout would likely see to it that they were fed, Slytherin followed behind Professor Sprout and her Hufflepuffs.

 

The procession was slow and it did rankle to allow Hufflepuffs to go first but the general consensus was that the Hufflepuffs made a good defense. Let them stand between them and the troll if there were more than one.

 

Hufflepuff crowded around a location and then disappeared through an archway that formed between the eventually revealed barrels.

 

Sprout smirked at them, “Don’t even attempt to gain entry. You are all far too self-conscious of your appearance. Any non-Hufflepuff would find themselves doused in oil. It has been so long since it has been attempted that I cannot remember what temperature the oil was…”

 

Marcus Flint and Cassius Warrington’s scowls deepened but not a murmur came from Slytherin.

 

Sprout was very careful to cast spells and a frown crossed her face just before they reached Slytherin’s hidden entrance before vanishing.

 

“It seems to be safe, your common room should adjust to suit the needs of a temporary dining hall so that you might partake of your dinner. Classes will resume as usual.”

 

Sprout only stayed long enough to see that the entire House entered the common room.

 

After safely arriving in their dungeon common room where there were six roaring hearths to warm them and their share of the holiday feast appearing soon after on four smaller copies of their House table that had replaced the usual study tables, chairs and black leather settees.

 

Blaise joined Draco, Greg and Vince at the table to eat their meal.

 

It wasn’t until late that Professor Snape arrived to inform them that the troll had been apprehended and that all was normal.

 

Normal that is if one ignored the pain in their Head of House’s eyes and his barely perceptible limp...

 

Neither of which Blaise noticed earlier…

 

Blaise was thoughtful, had the professor gotten injured dealing with the troll? He wasn’t sure but he did wonder…

 

After their meal Blaise and his friends bathed and dressed for bed…

 

They always were eager to forget about the troll incident…

 


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

 

Draco was sulky again…

 

Blaise was surprised when Greg cleared his throat two mornings before the last day of term; they were to return on the train to Kings’ Cross Friday morning.

 

Blaise frowned, “Is anything the matter?”

 

Greg coughed, “Maman wants to know if you still plan to stay with us until after breakfast Solstice morning…”

 

“Do you have to join Lady Giselle and Greg at Lanesborough Hall?” Draco’s pout deepened.

 

Blaise sighed, “Draco my dearest friend you know I always spend the holidays until after Solstice morning at the Hall. I’ve always stayed that long because Madam Honorine and Mama Lyra decided that since Madre is rarely in Britain that I should be included in your respective family’s festivities. Although it is tradition for us to help decorate the nursery tree after my birthday party is it not?”

 

Blaise felt a pang of sadness at the thought, he’d never met any of his blood family though he sometimes received gifts from his maternal relations but the Zabinis seemed to have written him off…

 

Blaise did what he always did when his thoughts drifted to his sire’s relations: he put it out of his mind.

 

Draco’s scowl deepened, “We’re not in the nursery anymore Blaise.”

 

Blaise resisted the urge to roll his eyes, “Yes but Ayla, Laurel and Gary are still in the nursery as are Maia and Aria. Besides, Mama Lyra is always eager to see all of our crafted decorations on the tree.”

 

Draco muttered in a dark undertone, “Only Pansy gets to decorate the Malfoy tree in the Drawing Room.”

 

Blaise coughed, “That’s because Pansy has exquisite taste and only the most perfect solstice tree is shown off to the Manor’s guests. Only you know that Mama Lyra has more hope of us being bonded then she does of your bonding to Pansy. Salazar knows that we will never be more then friends.”

 

With his solstice plans seemingly settled, Draco was displeased but that could not be helped so Blaise decided to waste no more time on the matter.

 

XoooooX

 

Blaise wasn’t at all surprised that Draco was still sullen about his not returning to Malfoy Manor with him to spend the entire holiday.

 

His best friend’s presumption and overreaction was so very Draco yet it was a bit irritating to expect Blaise to alter his usual plans without ever asking him.

 

That was part of Draco’s spoilt nature and Blaise had learned to deal with such behaviors.

 

It was the night before they were to take the train back to London so each boy was selecting their outfit to ride the train so that their elf could pack their things to ride the train.

 

Blaise was sort of looking forward to seeing Georgette, Greg’s little sister and Madam Honorine who like Mama Lyra had taken the mothering role since Greg’s Uncle George bonded to his mother all those years ago…

 

Blaise picked out his favorite ice blue muffler that had been dyed to match rabbit fur-lined Swedish Short Snout gloves that matched his boots.

 

Their trunks would be returned to their homes so all they had to worry about was themselves.

 

The House blearily made their way together via march to the Great Hall where they partook of breakfast before taking carriages to Hogsmeade Station and claiming train carriages for the trip down to London.

 

XoooooX

 

Draco was met near the floos on Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters like Giselle and Greg by his mother and younger sister.

 

Lady Honorine was waiting there with Georgette who was Giselle and Greg’s younger sister as well as Lyra and Ayla.

 

They were greeted with cool manners and warm glances from their eyes that were short-lived.

 

The mothers like their sisters were bundled up against the cold December weather, Lyra and Honorine nudged Draco, Ayla, Blaise, Giselle, Greg and George into the floos.

 

Pansy was tackled by her brother Laurel who appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Theo had vanished abruptly, while Vince and Millie were picked up by House elf.

 

When they were nearly in the floo proper, Ayla was even more reluctant for Blaise to spend the beginnings of winter holidays with his Goyle relations but Blaise promised to join them as usual about lunch on Solstice.

 

So that he could join them in opening presents after supper.

 

The parting between Draco and Blaise was almost as disheartening as Ayla’s with lingering embraces that wasn’t in keeping with the usual Malfoy or Black manners.

 

Thank Salazar that Draco’s father wasn’t there to see...

 

XoooooX

 

Blaise had long since noticed a difference in Madame Honorine, Giselle and Greg’s behavior when Lord Gordon and his son Geoffrey were present. While Blaise and Greg were of age to eat with Greg’s father and grandfather, they preferred to eat with Greg’s younger sister Georgette in the nursery, so not to spend too much time in the Goyle seniors’ company.

Both Gordon and Geoffrey disliked Blaise on account of his mother; the adult Goyle wizards blamed her for seducing his stepfather George and thus manipulating him into making Blaise his heir, causing George Goyle’s death and dumping a child on them that they had no blood tie to.

 

Mama Lyra and Madame Honorine welcomed him despite this because they couldn’t seem to blame him, an innocent babe of about three when they, George and his mother Gabriella were bonded but about five when George passed to the Veil.

 

It was Madame Honorine who taught their friends all French while Mama Lyra helped him with his English.

 

The two witches were more mother to him than his own; Honorine had worked hard to ensure that a cousin-like relationship existed between himself, Giselle and Greg.

 

Giselle treated Blaise as equally as her own brother and looked after him as best she could. Trusting her best friend Millie Bulstrode to look after them during school hours when she couldn’t be there.

 

Blaise saw the two of them as the closest thing he had to actual siblings…

 

Sometimes he wished he was their sibling, and then perhaps their male relations wouldn’t dislike him so…

 

XoooooX

 

Blaise was almost grateful that Solstice had finally dawned as he left his room in the nursery wing.

 

That meant that he would be flooing to Malfoy Manor in a few hours.

 

Despite his earlier annoyance with Draco, his reluctant time around the senior Goyles had made his best friend’s narcissist ‘the world revolves around me’ seem more pleasant by comparison.

  
Yes, he actually missed Draco’s whining…

 

Gifts were to be opened first thing that morning and then they would eat breakfast together.

 

Solstice was one of the few meals where even children under the age of eleven were allowed to eat with the main family.

 

Blaise and likely his step cousins would prefer to avoid Lord Goyle and Lord Geoffrey’s company and remain in the nursery instead.

 

However, Blaise sleepily entered the drawing room with Giselle, Greg and Georgette where they found the senior Goyles waiting impatiently with the exception of Lady Honorine who was waiting patiently and greeted them with a wan smile.

 

Georgette and Giselle flitted around the room to deliver gifts to be opened to the family who had chosen their seats.

 

Greg had claimed the floor, while Lady Honorine and Lord Geoffrey shared a settee, Lord Goyle an armchair while the girls had a loveseat and Blaise curled up in another arm chair some distance from his step family…

 

The Goyles always ate lunch with their Johnson relations and had dinner with Lady Honorine’s family in France on Solstice.

 

The Malfoys likely ate dinner the previous night in France with Draco’s great grandmother Muriel and their cousins who lived in the Malfoy Chateau there.

 

Blaise gifted Greg with a personalized Beater’s bat; while both Lady Honorine and Giselle received gift certificates to Celestine’s, which was a high class witches' boutique. Buying for Lord Goyle and Lord Geoffrey was difficult since they despised him so he gave them new winter cloaks in their preferred styles.

 

Blaise received a new winter wardrobe from Lord Geoffrey and Lady Honorine, but they were actually only from Lady Honorine.

 

Giselle gave Blaise a year’s subscription to **Transfiguration Today** while Greg gave him tickets to see the Quidditch Team that the Goyles’ owned, the **Appleby Arrows**. Little Georgette had a silvery blue knitted muffler with matching gloves for him.

 

Of course Lord Goyle gave Blaise nothing as usual but did have gifts for his blood relations which Blaise wasn’t.

 

They were served toast, sausages, bacon, eggs, fried mushrooms, baked beans, fruit and scones.

 

They also had juice, tea and coffee in fancy silver carafes.

 

After breakfast, Blaise and his step cousins retreated to the nursery sitting room.

 

Greg predictably challenged Blaise to a game of Wizarding chess while Giselle pulled out her embroidery and Georgette her knitting to while away the time before Blaise was to leave for Malfoy Manor.

 

XoooooX

 

Since Solstice morning wasn’t imperative, they weren’t required to eat as a family unlike Solstice eve or dinner that night.

 

So they usually rose late and dined in their rooms; which was nice because Draco could have chocolate pancakes with sausages and blueberry syrup along with a steaming cup of chocolate and not have to listen to his father chiding him for being childish.

 

Around ten, he rose to bathe before picking up his violin to practice until Blaise arrived.

 

His mother taught them various art forms and musical instruments.

 

Giselle played the harp, Pansy the piano, Ayla cello, Blaise the viola, Greg the Baritone bass, Adrian the clarinet and Brecc the trombone.

 

They could all sing but music was Ayla’s passion. She should attend the Wizarding School for the Dramatic Arts in the future if their father approved it.

 

It wasn’t often that Draco took the time to play at Hogwarts despite having his violin when he was there.

           

XoooooX

 

At eleven, Lady Honorine appeared in the nursery sitting room with Blaise’s trunk hovering in her wake.

 

Blaise smiled as he finished his current match with Greg by checkmating him and winning his third game. Then he rose to say goodbye to his step cousins.

 

Giselle embraced him, Greg thumped him on the back and Georgette kissed his cheek blushing.

 

Then Lady Honorine squeezed his shoulder as she escorted him to the floor in the front parlor.

 

The French witch kissed his cheeks before letting him enter the floo.

 

Blaise winked at her before throwing his handful of floo powder into the green flames and calling out, “Malfoy Manor!”

 

Where he was greeted by Mama Lyra who escorted him to his rooms next to Draco’s in the family wing of the Manor.

           

XoooooX

 

After lunch, Blaise and Draco both had retired to Draco’s sitting room, where they processed to practice duets for at least an hour. When they were at the Manor, they were expected to practice. Lying to his mother about anything never worked so, of course, there was no reason to try especially to one with Black blood.

 

They didn’t have any real homework but Uncle Sev had requested that he practice his brewing and read some books in the Malfoy library on their mutual beloved subject to stay ahead.

 

Neither of which was a bother and Draco had already read the books that Uncle Sev recommended of course.

 

Unlikely most students, Draco had a fondness for brewing because it relaxed him.

 

At twenty to five, the boys went to dress for dinner. Solstice was one of those fancy dinner days where they ate in the formal dining room.

 

Draco dressed properly in a grey suit with a green ascot which his elf Dobby tied for him and his black handmade Italian leather shoes were buffed that one could see their face in it.

 

His hair was slicked back as usual and Draco spritzed himself with his sandalwood cologne as he checked his appearance in the mirror to see if he would pass inspection by his mother.

 

Dinner would be light despite the lack of tea that day and relatively early so they had time to open gifts before flooing to Pansy’s.

 

Draco knew that at the beginning of the year the titled families drew lots to decide who would host their important celebrations.

 

The Parkinsons had drawn Solstice, the Crabbes New Year’s Eve Ball and New Year’s had gone to the Pucey-Burbages. New Years was decided the previous year to give its host time to plan appropriately.

 

That didn’t include any balls that would introduce heiresses to their proper rank in society; heirs were declared of age to marry by the Head of their Family.

 

Because Pansy’s father was widowed, it was his eldest sister Elizabeth who had joined the Higgs family who would step in as hostess with Pansy assisting as the eldest of the main family.

 

While Lady Alethea Crabbe formerly of the House of Goyle and Greg’s aunt who would serve for the House of Crabbe as hostess for the New Year’s Eve ball and Madam Faith Burbage-Pucey would host the New Year’s Ball. Due to Adrian’s mother being both the Burbage heiress and the consort of the Pucey heir, both Houses would be credited if the Ball went well and would be shamed if something went wrong despite it being officially hosted by the House of Pucey.

 

The heirs were considered introduced properly to society when they were presented as possible members of the clubs **The Spiny Serpent** or **The Golden Griffin**. As a Slytherin, Draco’s membership in **The Spiny Serpent** was all but assured.

 

Despite the existence of female entailed and titled lines, witches weren’t welcome at either club. So they preferred to congregate at **In Stitches** , which belonged to the Burbages and non-titled witches could discuss politics without displeasing their spouses.

 

No male dared step inside **In Stitches** …

 

Draco met Blaise in the corridor and they gave each other’s appearance a critical eye before declaring that they would pass muster with Draco’s mother.

 

They would put on their dressrobes just before leaving, when they would be examined once more so not to shame their blood by arriving in a less than perfect state.

 

Since Blaise was a foreign pureblood, the blood he would shame would be his step relations, the Goyles and his current hosts, the Malfoys.

 

Blaise raised to be too fastidious about his appearance to appear less than perfect.

 

They arrived with five minutes to spare and joined Draco’s parents and Draco’s ten-year-old sister Ayla in the family dining room where they supped on roast beef, plum pudding, salad, soup and a variety of winter vegetables.

 

At half past five, they rose to head for the drawing room where they were to quickly open presents.

 

Ayla and Lyra gave them crafted gifts; Lucius had a book for Draco, an expensive necklace for Lyra and a fancy winter cloak for Ayla; Draco ordered a book on a Malfoy ancestor for his father, a rare folio of music for his sister, a new book on a Transfiguration for Blaise and a bracelet for his mother while Blaise had rare potion ingredients for Draco, music for Ayla, a set of expensive quills for Lucius and a harp broach for Lyra.

 

Once they were finished with opening the gifts Lucius, Draco and Blaise called for their dressrobes.

 

Draco’s mother Lyra smoothed their collars and straightened their ascots before pronouncing them presentable.

 

The five of them headed for the front parlor to floo to Pansy’s.

 

They were greeted by Pansy and her aunt, despite being twelve their friend was assisting her aunt and clearly escorting the children under the age of fourteen to the children’s party in the nursery.

 

Although Ayla was only ten, she was allowed to attend because she was expected to start at Hogwarts starting in September. Likely there were others like their schoolmates’ siblings like Daphne’s sister Maia and apparently their cousin Luna Lovegood who arrived with them just after them.

 

Pansy led them up to the Nursery where her brother Laurel who theoretically was entertaining their Housemates Giselle, Greg, Vince, Theo and Tracy as well as others.

 

They were chatting, playing games or in the case of Vince eating the appetizers.

 

Daphne headed over for Tracy where they started up a conversation on the latest edition of Witch Weekly and Pansy left to escort in the next arrivals.

 

Theo had taken a chair and was reading a thick book with a scowl that likely had more to do with being forced into company then the book. Theo’s appearance was a surprise but none of them made a move to approach them.

 

Blaise challenged Draco to a chess match while Greg was already playing Pansy’s brother Laurel, Giselle wouldn’t stay long, she was thirteen and as an elder heiress she was welcome at the ball unlike the younger ones.

 

When the door to the Nursery sitting room opened again Pansy was escorting in Adrian and Gaheris Pucey, Cassius Warrington, Angelina, Cedric, Deborah and her twin siblings Salma and Zacharias.

 

Zacharias and Salma headed over to join Ernie MacMillan, Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott.

 

While Giselle headed over to talk to Deborah likely, because Millie wasn’t there…

 

Mostly only the titled families attended these gatherings but the hosts were welcome to invite untitled relations; hence why it wasn’t long before all of Pansy’s cousins were present: the Carrows, the Davies, the Diggorys, the Higgs and the Jordans.

 

Some like Blaise could also be invited as guests by an invitee…

 

Pansy and Laurel’s paternal relations would all be present unless they were ill due to societal expectations and invitations sent by Pansy’s aunt Elizabeth.

 

Despite his meandering thoughts, Draco did manage to soundly trounce Blaise for once and Blaise decided that he had enough so he rose to get a drink.

 

Draco called his cousin Adrian over to play a match, they didn’t often get a chance to match wits.

 

A half an hour later and Adrian had Draco checkmated so Draco had no choice but to concede both the match and his seat because he wanted the cup of steaming chocolate that Blaise handed to him upon reaching the table.

 

Because he adored chess, Draco was soon hovering around the table as a spectator to the match.

 

Adrian and Brecc were more even in skill, so their ‘captured’ pieces were soon lying sprawled around the board on the table.

 

Other than directives to their pieces, they didn’t speak much or look away from their match.

 

Draco was good due to always matching wits with Blaise who was better, but Adrian and Brecc were on a whole other level skillwise…

 

It was an hour before Brecc conceded the match.

 

The two best friends rose, shaking hands before heading over to Giselle and Deborah where they offered their arms and were escorting the ladies down to the adults’ ball.

 

They were followed out by their yearmates, anyone in fourth year were welcome in the ball as if they were of age.

 

Draco knew that there was talk about Giselle and Adrian making a match of it, but mostly on the part of Greg’s grandfather. While it was technically a suitable match, Draco had serious doubts. Brecc and Adrian had a better chance of making a match of it in his opinion.

 

Unlike their parents’ Head of Houses, none of their parents had arranged betrothals or were in favor of them so none of their generation were betrothed.

 

Although there were nudging and rumors of course but that was all…

 

The ‘children’ continued to amuse themselves until the hour struck eleven, at which point Pansy escorted them to the floo to say good night.

 

Ayla, Draco and Blaise flooed back to the Manor where they grateful to fall into bed, thankfully they had an elf to switch them into their preferred night attire.

 

 

   
 


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

 

 

Draco’s obsession with Harry Potter was getting tedious…

 

It wasn’t uncommon for Draco to come back from a disappearance with some wild story about Potter…

 

His appearance just before spring holidays, out of breath and pink-faced from exertion was less than memorable…

 

Then his words shocked Greg, Vince and Blaise who were studying…

 

“Potter…with a dragon…I saw it…” Draco stammered out.

 

“Nice one Draco.” Theo drawled boredly from the next table. “You saw the two of you in a mirror then?”

 

Blaise thought it was highly odd to see Theo in the library; usually he was elsewhere to study…

 

Draco scowled at Theo, “No! He was in that oaf’s shack with a baby dragon!”

 

Greg whined, “I want to see!”

 

Blaise snorted, “Don’t be foolish Greg; I doubt that oaf’s imbecilic enough to have a dragon in a wooden house.”

 

“Granger said that too, that a dragon in a wooden house was stupid.” Draco coughed as he sagged in a chair.

 

“Draco what would Miss Lyra say about your posture?” Blaise chided.

 

Draco glared as he sat up straight, “Why don’t you believe me?”

 

“Your story is just too preposterous to believe. Did you even use the photo charm?” Blaise retorted.

 

“I thought you would believe me!” Draco whined.

 

“With such a ludicrous story? We’d be mad to!” Theo snorted.

 

“Why are you barging into our conversation anyway?” Draco fumed.

 

Theo rolled his eyes, “If you wanted it to be a secret talk quieter. I think the whole school heard you.”

 

“I’ll get a picture! You’ll see!” Draco said storming off.

                                                            

Blaise shook his head, “This obsession with Potter will drive him either mad or into lust.”

 

“My bet is he’s already gone mad.” Theo snarked.   

 

Blaise sighed and watched as Draco left the library, Draco hadn’t been driven mad had he?

 

 


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10- End of term

 

 

The more Blaise considered it, the more he wondered.

 

What if Draco wasn’t just obsessed with Potter? What if it were something more?

 

Blaise had observed Draco turn white and stiffen when news that Potter had been injured had reached them.

 

Only a small bit of tension disappeared when they overheard that the attacker was somehow dead.

 

Blaise had to keep Draco distracted, a difficult thing with Potter absent from the Great Hall and corridors.

 

As a fellow Veela yet to come into their inheritance, Blaise somewhat understood his friend.

 

Yet Draco had the makings of a dominant, while Blaise knew in his heart that he needed someone strong to protect him and assure him that he was worthy. His abandonment issues due to his father’s sudden accidental death and his mother’s absence from his life after losing his first step-father George Goyle had left deep scars.

 

Blaise would have recognized, or he hoped he would have, were his mate in school with him.

 

That was a thought…

 

Had Draco subconsciously recognized Potter as his mate? Was that the reason for his obsession and jealousy? If Draco’s father were more open like Mama Lyra, Blaise would ask him but that wasn’t an option…

 

His relationship with his maternal relations was strained- it usually amounted to just letters and the occasional gift while his paternal relatives had essentially written him off much to his silent pain.

 

Blaise would do his best to watch out for Draco as a best friend and second to the Prince ought to…

           

XoooooX

 

What in Salazar’s name was Potter doing in the Forbidden Corridor? How did he get mixed up with that mad Quirrell? It was a good thing that the skittish turban-wearing fool was dead!

 

Draco would have had to carve him to pieces if he weren’t.

 

Nearly strangled? Whatever possessed Potter to do something so dangerous and foolhardy? Bloody Gryffindors! It was likely all that Weasel’s fault or Granger’s…

 

After all what did they suffer in that misadventure hm? Weasel had a slight concussion while Granger had not a scratch.

 

This was ridiculous…

 

Not even winning the Quidditch Cup had any impact on Draco, Potter’s absence had essentially handed them the cup.

 

Gryffindor’s Reserve Seeker wasn’t at Potter’s skill level and despite a highly skilled team, Slytherin’s Captain Flint saw to it that they won…

 

The end of term was upon them and Potter, who was awake but lingering in the Infirmary, had yet to appear…

 

Draco stiffened…

 

Thinking of the git, he had just walked in just as unaware as usual…

 

When the Headmaster rose to speak, Draco had a sinking feeling…

           

XoooooX

 

Blaise had been just as shocked as the rest of their House when Dumbledore awarded last minute points and stole the House Cup away from them.

 

Draco was muttering things under his breath much to Blaise’s annoyance…

 

He would definitely be discussing Veelas and mates with Mama Lyra when he went to spend the holidays with Draco…

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Their First Year is over, one down, two and a half to go!
> 
> Yes this is slower going then Lego House but it is going! We'll catch up eventually!
> 
> \- Kelly and Saku


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

 

Draco made his way towards his father’s private study the morning after his return to the Manor for the Summer Holidays, his elective list held between his fingers. He had started to second guess himself and the choices he had made regarding next year’s classes.

 

His father’s study door was firmly shut but Draco could hear his father speaking through the wood. He must have forgotten his silencing charm…

 

The young Malfoy heir tilted his head towards the door, wondering if he should interrupt the conversation. Lucius’ voice was muffled and the other person’s voice was garbled, so Draco could only understand one half of the conversation.

 

_“—I have plans to set the diary up at Hogwarts this year…yes, yes, with luck the Chamber of Secrets will open and—no, I believe He should only need to find a life force… yes, if He latches on then he can return.”_

 

Draco’s eyebrows furrowed, the Chamber of Secrets? Wasn’t that some dreary old Hogwarts legend?

 

 _“The Dark Lord did not explain to me how the diary worked, only that I was to hold onto it—well he also said that I was to make sure it got to Hogwarts…”_ his father paused to listen to the garbled response that Draco could only assume was coming from the floo.

 

 _“Harry Potter will not be a problem.”_ Lord Malfoy stated firmly and there was no response.

 

So due to the silence, Draco knocked tentatively.

 

When his father opened the door, he looked down at him suspiciously but Draco already had his mask in place…

 

“Good morning father, I came to see you about my elective choices for the coming school year. Would you be willing to look over the options and let me know if I chose correctly?” He held out the parchment to Lucius, who snatched it up and looked over it before nodding curtly.

 

Draco thanked his father before heading away from his study.

 

“Dobby?” The boy called and his loyal house elf appeared by his side, his wide golden eyes looking up at Draco expectantly. Draco filled him in on what he heard from his father’s conversation quietly as they walk side by side.

 

“I need you to take Harry Potter into your charge. Convince him not to return to Hogwarts, something very dangerous is going on.” The Malfoy heir looked down at Dobby, who nodded obediently.

 

“Aye, Young Master. Dobby can do this, just leave it to Dobby.”

 

Draco nodded once, before stopping in his tracks. “Do not tell him you are a Malfoy elf. He will not believe you otherwise.”

 

Dobby bowed, “Of course Young Master. Dobby will keep it a secret.”

 

Then his elf disappeared with a soft pop leaving Draco alone to return to his rooms.

 

 


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

 

 “I will be in my room, making no noise and pretending I don’t exist.” Harry Potter said with his chin up, watching his uncle carefully.

 

Vernon squinted at him and nodded once, shooing him back upstairs as Mr. and Mrs. Mason knock on the door.

 

Harry bounded up the stairs and pushed open the door to his bedroom, voices filtering up from the lower floor. He froze, his eyes blown wide in shock as… something… bounced around on his bed, giggling manically.

 

When it noticed him, it ceased its bouncing and tilted its large head. “Harry Potter, such an honor it is…” Extending one hand in a bow, it looked up at him with large golden eyes.

 

Harry closed the door behind him quickly and stepped deeper into his room.

 

“Who are you?” He asked, squinting slightly. What _was_ this thing?

 

“Dobby, sir. Dobby the House Elf.” It said, Dobby said.

 

“N-not to be rude or anything, but this isn’t a great time for me to have a _house elf_ in my bedroom.” Harry said, drumming his fingers anxiously against his thigh.

 

“O-oh yes sir, Dobby understands, sir. It’s just that Dobby has come to tell you—it is difficult, sir… Dobby wonders where to begin…” The House elf wrings his hands together, avoiding eye contact with Harry.

 

“Why don’t you sit down?” Harry asked, nodding his head a little. It might be more comfortable for them to speak if they were both sitting.

 

“S-s-s-sit d-down? Sit down?” Dobby started to tear up, shielding his face from Harry as he starts to snivel. Dobby jumps down from Harry’s bed, facing the wall as he cries.

 

Harry extended one of his hands, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. “Dobby, shush! I-I’m sorry if I’ve offended you or-or anything.” He says hopelessly.

 

“Offend Dobby? Dobby has heard of your greatness, sir, but never has he been asked to sit down by a wizard! Like an equal…” The House Elf looked up at him innocently, tear tracks staining his face.

 

“You can’t have met many decent wizards, then.” Harry says, scratching the back of his neck. Dobby shakes his head, smiling slightly.

 

“No, I haven’t…” His smile fell almost immediately after he said so, moving towards Harry’s dresser. “What an awful thing to say.” He glanced at Harry before banging his head against the dresser.

 

“Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!” Dobby scolded himself, vaguely noticing that Harry’s eyes widen in fear, Dobby had to obey Master Draco’s orders.

 

If Uncle Vernon heard…

 

“Stop, Dobby, stop! Dobby, Dobby please!” Harry pleaded but Dobby continued to scold himself.

 

Harry was so dead…

 

Harry squatted close to Dobby, begging him to stop and finally he does. “Are you alright?” Harry asked quietly, resting his hands on his knees.

 

Dobby nodded and wobbled towards the stool beside Harry’s desk, climbing onto it.

 

“Dobby had to punish himself, sir. Dobby almost spoke ill of his family, sir.”

 

Harry sat down on his bed. “Your family?”

 

“The wizard family Dobby serves, sir. Dobby is bound to serve one family forever... If they ever knew Dobby was here…” Dobby whimpered, “but Dobby had to come. Dobby has to protect Harry Potter.”

 

Harry tilted his head at this.

 

Dobby continued “To warn him! Harry Potter must not go back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year! There is a plot, a plot for terrible things…”

 

“What terrible things? Who’s plotting them?” He asked.

 

Dobby startled, shaking his head “Can’t say.” He grunted, balling his hands into frustrated fists. He gripped his head and grumbled under his breath as Harry tried unsuccessfully to calm him down.

 

“It’s okay, I understand you can’t say.” Dobby climbed onto Harry’s desk and grabbed his lamp, turning it upside down and slamming it against his forehead, frustrated grunts resounding around the room. Panicked, Harry struggled to pull the lamp out of Dobby’s hands.

 

“Give me the lamp!” He grumbled, struggling for it. He froze when he hears steps on the stairs, his eyes going wide. He grabbed Dobby by his dirty pillowcase, shoving him in his closet and holding the door shut as Vernon pushed open his door glaring down at him.

 

“What the devil are you doing in here?” His uncle growled.

 

Harry panicked, “I-I was just…”

 

“You just ruined the punch line of my Japanese golf joke…” The bull of a man glowered and Harry stuttered out an apology. “One more sound and you’ll wish you’d never been born, boy.”

 

Harry flinched and nodded, looking down at the ground. His uncle left and Harry exhaled shakily, opening the door of his closet and letting Dobby out.

 

The House elf jumped out and tosses a sock onto the floor. “See why I’ve got to go back? I don’t belong here… in your world, at Hogwarts. It’s the only place I’ve got friends.” Harry reasoned, frowning deeply.

 

“Friends you don’t even write to, Harry Potter?” Dobby accused, and Harry crossed his arms.

 

“That’s different—hang on, how do you know my friends haven’t been writing to me?”

 

“Harry Potter mustn’t be angry with Dobby… Dobby hoped that if Harry Potter thought his friends had forgotten about him, Harry Potter might not want to go back to school, sir.” Dobby got a nervous look on his face and his shoulders start to hunch as he reached into his pillowcase and pulled out a stack of letters cradling the letters to his chest.

 

Harry glared, clenching his fists. “Give me those, now.” He ordered.

 

Dobby shouted ‘no!’ panicking and running out the door with a whine.

 

Harry lunges after him and runs down the stairs to stop him.

 

Dobby paused at the doorway by the kitchen, his eyes on the sugared violet pudding that Harry’s Aunt Petunia had put together for their dessert that night.

 

“Dobby, get back here!” Harry whispered, terrified of what the House Elf was planning.

 

Dobby glanced back at him and shook his head, turning back to the pudding and snapping his fingers.

 

“Dobby… please, no…” Harry begged.

 

Dobby just giggled as the bowl rose into the air even as Harry started to truly panic.

 

“Harry Potter must say he is not going back to school!” Dobby warned.

 

Harry faltered. “I _can’t_. Hogwarts is my home!”

 

“Then Dobby has no choice, sir. For Harry Potter’s own good.” Dobby said shaking his head.

 

The pudding started to fall towards the kitchen floor and Harry stumbled after it, fear constricting his breathing.

 

Harry reaches for the descending pudding as it moves quickly towards the kitchen floor.

 

The loud crash and smash of the sugared violet pudding in Aunt Petunia’s large crystal salad bowl gained the attention of all the Dursleys and the Masons, who ran into the kitchen to see Harry and the kitchen splattered with pudding. Harry trembled as he caught the murderous look in his Uncle’s eyes at the sight of him in the kitchen.

 

For a moment Dobby, who was spying though invisible from the top of the cupboards, thought he saw horror rather glee in the other boy’s face and as for the woman, Petunia he was certain, sorrow briefly crossed her features before it was replaced by anger.

 

Vernon was the first to recover. “I am so sorry, it’s my nephew. He’s very disturbed. Meeting strangers upsets him, that’s why I kept him upstairs.”

 

Harry trembled as he turned to look for Dobby, who just shook his head in the shadows of invisibility.

 

“Clean this up. Now!” Petunia hissed as she opened her freezer and pulled out what looked like Dudley’s ice cream.

 

Harry backed away slowly, before turning tail and scurrying out the laundry room to make a bucket of hot soapy water and find a rag to clean up Dobby’s mess.

 

He hurried fix this mess as best he could before hurrying back upstairs.

 

Maybe Uncle Vernon wouldn’t beat him, maybe if he just apologized…

 

That childish hope was dashed when a large barn owl entered an open window and dropped a letter in the dining room.

 

Well Harry and Dobby heard first the owl, then a woman’s scream that wasn’t Petunia, Mr. Mason asking if this was a joke in poor taste because Mrs. Mason was frightened of birds of all sizes before hurrying after his wife.

 

Harry just dumped the dirty water in the laundry sink before running upstairs…

 

Once in his bedroom, he curled up in the corner and wrapped his arms around his legs. He rocked back and forth anxiously.

 

The front door slammed shut and Harry flinched, covering his head with his arms.

 

Thundering footsteps on the stairs have him pressed closer against the wall.

 

Suddenly, Dudley wailed from the living room and the steps stop before receding. Harry chewed his bottom lip as he listened to Dudley complain about his pay for the night. He had convinced his parents to give him money to be gentleman and he wanted compensation.

 

“It ended badly but I still deserve my pay! Plus I don’t want Potter turning Dad into a frog or somethin’!”

 

Harry sighed softly and looked around his room, ready to be off to school. He couldn’t turn Vernon into a frog if he wanted to, but the Dursleys didn’t have to know that.

 

Vernon and Petunia soothed Dudley and promised him that he would be paid for a job well done.

 

“He’s never turned me into a frog before, son, he won’t do it now.” Harry’s fingers itch for his wand but he was too afraid to move. What if Uncle Vernon heard his footsteps? He was safe in his corner.

 

Tonight had been a complete disaster, and Harry still had no idea what family Dobby served. He blocked out the rest of the conversation downstairs, leaning his head against the wall. Staring out his window, he missed the footfalls on the stairs and the opening of his door. He does notice, however, when a hand grabbed his hair and pulled him away from his corner.

 

His eyes flickered to his Uncle’s florid face and managed to maintain an emotionless expression.

 

“You should be grateful to Dudley, boy. If I had come up here right after they left, you would have been worse off.” Vernon spit in barely contained rage, shaking Harry like a ragdoll.

 

The boy looked away from his Uncle’s face, his eyes focusing on something outside his window.

 

An eagle owl sat on the lamppost at the end of Number 4’s drive, watching the house like a guard. There was something very familiar about that owl.

 

Vernon shook him again, his anger growing as Harry’s attention remained diverted from him. He threw Harry into the corner of his closet, where the wood broke the skin at his hairline. “Pay attention to me, boy.”

 

Harry lifted his head and grimaced as blood dripped down his face.

 

Uncle Vernon stalked forward, glaring down at Harry with malice in his eyes. Harry raised his chin defiantly; he wouldn’t break now. Vernon’s meaty fist knocked just above his temple and his legs crumpled beneath him, the next blow coming as a kick to the ribs.

 

Harry lifted his eyes back to the window as he was hit and kicked, staring at the owl on its perch just outside.

 

“Come on, boy, react. Cry!” Vernon shouted at him.

 

Harry only flinched and shook his head, he never cried anymore, never in front of Uncle Vernon.

 

The man grabbed his hair again and slammed his head against the dresser where Dobby had hit his own head, one of the handles making contact with the corner of his eye. He groaned softly and a soft gasp fell from his lips as Vernon kicked him in the abdomen repeatedly.

 

From the dazed look in Harry’s eyes, he’d lost count of how many times he’d been hit but eventually the Muggle stopped. The tiny wizard curled in on himself, coughing.

 

“You’ll be up by six tomorrow morning. Your chores list will be on the table. Make sure they’re all done.” The Muggle snarled.

 

He left and slammed Harry’s door, the young Gryffindor pulling himself up into a sitting position and wrapping his arms around his middle.

 

“Happy birthday, Harry…” He mumbled sadly to himself.

 

XoooooX

 

Dobby had recognized his master’s owl but he wasn’t allowed to interact with Muggles so he had to watch helplessly as the boy he was told to watch was hurt.

 

Dobby had watched everything happen from the time he disappeared until Harry’s pitiful birthday wish. Master Draco had mentioned Harry Potter’s birthday to him, along with almost everything else regarding the boy, but not this.

 

Not this dejected, empty shell of a child who should be full of life and magic. It broke Dobby’s little heart.

 

He currently sat upon Harry’s dresser, watching as the kid fed his owl and got ready for bed. A dark bruise was forming around the edge of his eye, and his cut had only just stopped bleeding. He watched as Harry pulled up a loose floorboard and pulled out a first aid kit. Then the would-be Second Year proceeds to tend his wounds.

 

The entire time Dobby had watched, Harry hadn’t shed a single tear.

 

XoooooX

 

Harry woke up the next morning to his door unlocked but still shut. He headed down the stairs quietly and picked up his chore list, glancing over it. As usual, the first thing on the list was to dust the living room.

 

After that he was to make breakfast for the rest of the family, only taking jam and one piece of toast for himself. Then he had to scrub the floors until they shone, do the dishes, prune the bushes in the backyard, mow the lawn, clean the counters in the kitchen, make lunch for the family; only to take one slice of bread with a glass of water for himself, clean all the bathrooms, do the dishes again, polish the silverware and wood, clean his and Dudley’s rooms, and then come back to the kitchen to prep dinner for his aunt.

 

He tucked the list into the pocket of his too-big jeans, going to the cupboard under the stairs to get the duster. He made his way to the living room, proceeding to delve into his dusting. If it wasn’t done right, he faced punishment, but lifting his arm past his head put strain on his chest and his ribs hurt enough to make breathing slightly more difficult than it usually was.

 

Happy birthday indeed…

 

Harry resigned himself to doing his ‘chore list’ in pain; it wasn’t like he dared take any pain medication…

 

 


	14. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Draco summer chapter!~
> 
> Draco's mentioned his family's religious leanings so we thought we'd delve a bit into a Celtic/Pureblood celebration Harry Potter style.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy belated Beltane! Kelly's really busy with exams so I offered to post this for her. I hope you all like!

Chapter 13- Lughnasadh picnic

 

August 1, 1992

 

 

It was the day after Harry Potter’s birthday…

 

Blaise had arrived last night just before dinner to spend what was left of Summer Holidays with Draco and his family.

 

Draco’s father Lucius had drawn Lughnasadh during the New Year’s Ball and it was Mama Lyra’s duty to host.

 

While it was a Harvest celebration, there was still a picnic aspect because the weather was nice and Mama Lyra adored picnics.

 

They spent the morning hours lazily harvesting some of the Malfoy summer crops with other members of the pureblood nobles and those of a significant amount of wealth to be numbered among them.

 

The Manor's front lawn was covered with blankets as well as tables and comfortable charmed wrought iron chairs with umbrellas to shield the complexion as the sun beat down.

 

The younger crowd; Draco and his friends included, had claimed the blankets leaving the verandah furniture for the adults.

 

The children helped themselves to the Malfoy specialty; ginger fizz as well as the Black specialty; Pimms which was a mint, cucumber, orange and strawberry punch.

 

There were fancy sandwiches, cold chicken, tarts, pies and a host of treats that weren't usual meal fare at the Manor.

 

Draco liked Hogwarts' meals just fine but the meals mother planned with the head kitchen elf were the best. Mother planned every meal down to the table cloth...

 

Her celebrations were no exception...

Draco wasn't all that surprised that Aunt Andromeda was present, they didn't often mingle unless mother was hosting a celebration. Even then his uncle Ted and cousin Abigail almost never came...

 

Luncheon lasted far beyond the usual meal time not that anyone cared, these harvest and planting celebrations were one of the few events where old, worn clothing was the accepted attire.

 

A ball was different, everyone was expected to wear their finest and wardrobe choice was heavily critiqued...

 

The more labor intensive harvesting would be done by their elves but ceremonial harvesting was part of their family's faith.

 

XoooooX

 

After lunch, mother announced games.

 

Father was talking business and so Ayla headed over broom in hand to pout that she was the only witch whose father wasn't ready for the father-daughter broom race.

 

Father predictably caved and excused himself to participate.

 

Brecc's aunt Maria Montague refereed the race and Malfoy pride ensured that father and Ayla won of course.

 

Mother supervised the croquet game for the young children during the race of course.

 

After the race was the witch-versus-wizard Quidditch match under Captain Draco and Captain Ayla respectively.

 

Draco's team was mostly made up of Slytherin wizards but Ayla had Max O'Flaherty flying as a Beater with Millie Bulstrode while Angelina Johnson, Giselle Goyle and his sister were Chasers. Cho Chang was there as a guest of the Edgcombe family was their Seeker and Kevyn Bletchley rounded out his sister's team as Keeper.

 

Because it was a celebration and flying with a Malfoy was considered an honor Giselle's usually conservative wizard relations didn't dare complain when Ayla handed the lithe blonde witch a broom.

 

Draco chose Seeker for himself, mother knew of his aspirations to fly for Slytherin which was likely why she chose a Quidditch match as part of the entertainment

 

He selected Adrian, Blaise and Marcus Flint as his Chasers, while Brecc and Greg were his Beaters leaving Oliver Wood to round out his team as Keeper.

 

Oliver and Marcus were first cousins but had little respect for one another. This would be interesting...

 

Brecc's aunt refereed again of course...

 

Normally, second years were not allowed to attend Quidditch tryouts in Slytherin but Draco hoped to impress Marcus and be given a chance to prove himself...

 

The match was well fought; the score relatively even until Draco beat Chang to the snitch making the wizard team win by the usual 150 points.

 

The final entertainment was mother announcing a mother-son three-legged race.

 

The mothers cast a weak variant of the incarcerus and lined up for some fun...

 

Blaise looked rather forlorn due to his mother's absence.

 

It was eldest son and mother of course, many of Draco's fellow heirs were laughably attempting the race. Greg and Marcus failing the worst. Brecc abstained from the race and sat with Blaise instead.

 

Draco and mother's closest competition was surprisingly Oliver Wood and his mother Morwenna formerly of the House of Flint. Draco and Lyra hobbled over the finish line only to stumble and fall giggling.

 

Draco smirked, "We did it!"

 

Lyra chuckled, "Of course, I knew we would."

 

Ayla flung herself next to them, "This was awesome Mama. I can't wait until our next time hosting."

 

Mother squeezed their hands beaming but saying nothing.

 

Draco secretly hoped they drew Lughnasadh again soon...

 

XoooooX

 

Draco wasn't surprised to be ordered to dress for the evening's ritual.

 

Blaise joined him at the staircase and they made it out to the Malfoy's outdoor ritual space before moonrise.

 

Father and mother led them in summoning the elements before thanking Mother Magic, Father Sun and Sister Moon for a bountiful harvest and to entreat for their continued blessing.

 

Draco wasn't as keen on all this ritual but father was and that was that.

 

Even Blaise knew better than to complain...

 

They collectively dismissed the elements with due gratitude before they returned to the Manor.

 

Draco was more than ready to curl up in his bed after a relaxing bath...

 

Blaise chose to join him in bed and they whispered nonsense until falling asleep.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> What did you think?
> 
> Lyra is canon Narcissa, we changed her name to fit with her sisters Andromeda and Bellatrix as well as her cousins Sirius and Regulus.


End file.
